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Accession    10x796  Class 


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"  The  most  magulficent  coutributiou  of  Jie  present  cen- 
tury to  tl^e  caiise  of  geographical  knowledge." 

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NORTH  AND  CENTRAL  iFM;fA; 


Travels  and  Discoveries  in  North  and  Central  Africa,     Being  a 

Journal  of  an  Expedition  undertaken   under  the  Auspices  of 

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don  Athenrenrtu 

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EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY 


UCRIMO    THE 


CONSULATE  AND  THE  FIRST  EMPIRE. 


BY    MISSPARDOE, 

AVTHOB    or    ''OOUBT    AMD    RUON    OF    FBAirCIB    L,"    *^  UTX    Of    MARIS    DB  MEDICIS,' 

»  LOUU   XIT.,   AND  THB   COURT  OF  FRANCS  IN  THB  SBYXNTSBITrH 

CBSTCST,"  STO.,  BTC.,  STC. 


NEW     YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN      SQUARE. 

18  5  9. 


PREFACE 


The  contents  of  the  present  Volume  were  obtained  whUe  the 
Compiler  was  engaged  in  writing  a  royal  biography  which,  from 
feelings  of  self-respect,  she  subsequently  declined  to  complete.  No 
attempt  has  been  made  to  arrange  the  sketches  in  chronological 
order,  but  rather  to  diversify  their  interest  and  subject-matter  as 
much  as  possible.  History  is  the  great  drama  of  the  world ;  but 
we  never  thoroughly  comprehend  its  whole  value  until  we  have 
studied,  not  only  its  main  outline,  but  also  its  details.  Here  are 
some  of  those  details : — Hidden  motives  for  public  measures ;  indi- 
cations of  character  which  serve  to  explain  actions  otherwise  appa- 
rently incongruous ;  glimpses  of  a  past  which  was  not  less  wonder- 
ful in  its  inner  workings  than  in  its  outward  demonstration  ;  and, 
finally,  a  few  "stray  leaves"  which  have  appeared  to  be  well 
worth  gathering  up. 


101798 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2008  witii  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.arch.ive.org/details/episodesoffrencliOOpardricli 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  L 

PAOB 

A  Consular  "  Lionne,** 1 

CHAPTER    11. 
An  Evening  at  la  Malmaison, 14 

CHAPTER   IIL 
A  Bourbon  Sovereign  under  the  Consulate, 4# 

CHAPTER  IV. 
A  Stray  Document, 64 

CHAPTER  V. 
A  Conspiracy, 64 

CHAPTER  VI. 
An  Imperijd  Decree, 73 

CHAPTER  VIL 
P^»r  the  Fisherman, 84 

CHAPTER    Vm. 
The  Greneral  and  the  Emperor, •.        .     108 

CHAPTER    IX. 
A  Scene  in  the  Life  of  Charles  John  Bemadotte,  King  of  Sweden,  .     120 

CHAPTER  X. 
The  Capture  of  Ivree,    ......*..     126 

CHAPTER  XL 
An  Evening  with  Fouche', 135 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

PAOB 

A  Company  of  Gjenadiers, 155 

CHAPTER  Xm. 
A  Secret  Mission, 163 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Eve  of  the  Coronation, 184 

CHAPTER  XY. 
The  Pope  and  the  Emperor, ,        .        .    192 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Captain  Durosier,  . 202 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Napoleon  and  the  Court-Milliners, 209 

CHAPTER  XVIil. 
The  Divorce, 228 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
An  Episode  in  the  Life  of  Talma, 259 

CHAPTER  XX. 
The  two  Emperors, 266 

CHAPTER  XXI 
The  Drama  of  "War, 28T 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
The  Train-Bearers, 314 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 
The  Dance  of  Death, 326 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 
The  Marshal-Duke  and  the  Banker, 839 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
A  Parisian  Saloon  under  the  Empire, 353 


/  Y 


EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 


CUAPTER  I. 

A  CONSULAR   "  LIONNE." 

The  Empress  Josephine,  after  she  liad  been  widowed 
by  the  axe  of  the  guillotine  (beneath  which  the  head  of 
her  first  husband  the  Yicomte  Beauliarnais  had  fallen 
during  the  Revolution),  found  herself  on  her  own  resto- 
ration to  liberty,  compelled  by  her  isolated  and  almost 
destitute  condition,  to  accept  as  her  companions  and 
associates  many  of  those  who  had  been  her  fellow- 
prisoners  in  the  Carmelite  monastery,  however  excep- 
tionable their  antecedents  were  known  to  have  been. 
Among  these  the  most  celebrated  was  the  famous 
Madame  Tallien,  to  whom  the  warm-hearted  Creole 
became  affectionately  attached.  This  lady,  who  was 
both  beautiful  and  witty,  was  the  daughter  of  Senhor 
Cabarrus,  the  court-banker  at  Madrid ;  who,  while  she 
was  yet  a  mere  girl,  accompanied  her  father  to  Bor- 
deaux, where,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  she  mariied  the 
Marquis  de  Fontenay,  a  councillor  in  the  parlii;ment  of 
that  city,  a  man  of  mature  age  and  grave  habits,  from 
whom  she  was  afterwards  divorced.  When  the  Revolu- 
tion broke  out  she  became   one  of  its  most  zealous 

1 


Jt  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

partisans ;  but,  disgusted  by  the  excesses  that  she  was 
compelled  to  witness,  she  endeavored  to  escape  to 
Spain,  for  which  crime  she  was  arrested,  and  brought 
before  the  Pro-Consul  Tallien  who  was  then  at  Bor- 
deaux, commissioned  by  Eobespierre  to  establish  the 
Keign  of  Terror  in  that  district. 

When  she  was  introduced  into  his  presence,  Tallien 
was  so  much  impressed  by  her  rich  southern  loveliness 
and  her  extraordinary  grace,  that  he  at  once  became 
her  captive ;  and  morality  being  by  no  means  the  lead- 
ing virtue  of  the  time,  Madame  de  Fontenay  soon 
responded  to  his  passion.  The  tyrant  of  the  Eevolution 
was  the  mere  slave  of  the  woman  whom  he  loved ;  and, 
to  her  honor  be  it  said,  that  she  exerted  her  influence 
over  him  only  to  enforce  mercy  for  the  condemned,  and  to 
arrest  the  waste  of  human  life.  On  the  recall  of  Tallien 
by  the  Convention,  she  accompanied  him  to  Paris,  where 
she  was  thrown  into  prison,  accused  of  having  rendered 
him  lax  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  ;  but  the  death 
of  Robespierre  released  her ;  and  it  is  even  asserted  that 
the  determination  of  the  Pro-Consul  to  save  her  life, 
hastened  the  event  which  delivered  France  from  the 
fangs  of  that  human  tiger. 

A  short  time  subsequently  she  became  the  wife  of 
Tallien,  but  the  marriage  proved  an  unhappy  one,  and 
she  was  a  second  time  divorced. 

In  18 1^5  Madame  Tallien  gave  her  hand  to  the  Comte 
de  Carai  lan,  afterwards  Prince  de  Chimay.*    For  a 

*  When  some  one  informed  Tallien  that  his  cidevant  wife  had  become 
Princesse  de  Chimay,  he  replied  sarcastically:  "It  matters  little;  the 
world  will  know  her  only  as  Madame  Tallien,  were  she  ten  times  Prin- 
cesse de  Chim^re." 


A  CONSULAR   "  LIONNE."  8 

considerable  period  Madame  Tallien  enjoyed  an  im- 
mense vogne  in  Paris,  and  possessed  great  influence 
over  tlie  public  mind ;  but  her  repeated  divorces,  and 
the  worse  than  questionable  principles  of  her  female 
associates,  so  revolted  Kapoleon  that,  long  before  he 
became  Emperor  of  the  French,  he  would  never  admit 
her  to  his  court. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  truth  or  the  falsehood 
of  the  popular  reports  regarding  Madame  Tallien,  one 
thing  is  at  least  certain,  that  tlie  affection  with  which 
she  had  inspired  Josephine  was  exceeded  by  the  disgust 
entertained  towards  her  by  Bonaparte  himself.  While 
he  remained  a  mere  General  Officer,  he  supported  the 
intimacy  between  the  two  ladies  with  as  much  patience 
as  he  could  command  :  but  he  had  no  sooner  established 
himself  at  the  Luxembourg  as  First  Consul,  than  he 
positively  forbade  his  wife  ever  again  to  receive  her 
friend.  Kor  was  Madame  Tallien  the  only  heroine  of 
the  time  whose  name  was  erased  from  the  visiting-list 
of  Madame  Bonaparte ;  but  in  no  other  instance  did 
the  latter  feel  the  prohibition  so  painfully.  Yainly  did 
she  entreat,  expostulate,  and  even  weep ;  a  cold  and 
stern  refusal  to  accede  to  her  request  was  the  only 
reply  she  could  obtain,  and  she  was  compelled  to 
submit. 

The  position  of  Josephine  was  at  once  a  painful  and 
an  onerous  one  ;  as,  not  satisfied  with  seeing  each  other 
almost  daily,  the  two  ladies  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
exchanging  each  morning  those  little  notes  of  gaiety 
and  gossip  in  which  Frenchwomen  especially  delight. 
On  the  return  of  Bonaparte  from  his  Egyptian  cam- 
paign, the  beautiful  ally  of  his  wife  had  been  one  of 


4  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

the  first  to  congratulate  liim  on  his  miraculous  escape 
from  the  English  fleet ;  but  he  had  received  her  ele- 
gantly-expressed compliments  with  a  coldness  which 
excited  her  indignation ;  although,  as  she  conceived 
that  it  was  attributable  only  to  the  arrogance  of  a  vic- 
torious general,  she  merely  revenged  herself  by  saying 
to  a  friend : — 

"  He  is  an  unlicked  bear ;  but  let  him  be  as  sulky  as 
he  pleases  until  the  fit  is  over,  when  he  will  see  me  so 
constantly  that  he  will  become  accustomed  to  me  ;  and 
if  he  refuses  to  speak  to  me,  so  be  it.  I  prefer  the  con- 
versation of  his  wife." 

Madame  Tallien  was,  however,  mistaken  in  her  cal- 
culations. The  Luxembourg,  from  the  period  when  her 
friend  took  up  her  abode  there  with  the  First  Consul, 
was  closed  against  her  ;  a  fact  of  which  Madame  Bona- 
parte herself  was  ignorant,  until,  having  ventured  on 
one  occasion  to  pay  her  a  stolen  visit,  she  was  informed 
of  it  to  her  extreme  astonishment ;  and  having  made 
inquiries  on  the  subject  on  her  return  to  the  palace, 
she  was  assured  that  the  principal  valet,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  announce  all  visitors,  had  received  a  personal 
order  from  the  First  Consul  that  Madame  Tallien  was 
never  to  be  admitted.  The  lady  persisted,  however, 
with  all  the  pertinacity  of  a  spoiled  beauty ;  and  pre- 
cisely on  the  morning  when  Bonaparte  had  so  resolutely 
adhered  to  his  determination  that  she  should  never 
again  find  herself  in  the  society  of  his  wife,  she  arrived 
once  more  at  the  Luxembourg,  at  so  early  an  hour,  that 
the  usher  not  having  as  yet  taken  up  his  post,  she  was 
admitted  by  another  servant,  and  conducted  to  the  pre- 
sence of  Madame  Bonaparte. 


A  CONSULAR  "LIONNE."  5 

Still  weeping  over  what  she  considered  as  the  harsh- 
ness and  cruelty  of  her  husband  in  depriving  her  of 
her  best  friend,  Josephine,  on  seeing  the  radiant 
Spaniard  enter  her  apartment,  was  overwlielmcd  with 
astonishment  and  terror.  Unaccustomed  and,  indeed, 
unable  as  slie  was  to  conceal  her  feelings  at  any  time, 
Madame  Tallien  at  once  perceived  that  something  very 
painful  had  taken  place ;  and,  hastening  to  her  side, 
she  clasped  both  her  hands  in  her  own,  exclaiming 
anxiously : — 

"  My  love,  what  has  happened  ?" 

Madame  Bonaparte  could  not  reply ;  her  sobs  stifled 
her,  and  the  tears  rained  down  her  pale  cheeks ;  all 
that  she  could  do  was  to  press  her  friend  to  her  heart ; 
until,  having  in  some  degi-ee  recovered  her  composure, 
she  confessed  to  her  the  cause  of  her  grief,  and  de- 
scribed the  interview  which  had  just  taken  place ; 
endeavoring,  however,  to  attribute  the  resolution  of  the 
Fii-st  Consul  to  the  scandalous  tongues  about  him 
rather  than  to  his  own  dislike  of  Madame  Tallien. 

The  Spanish  blood  of  the  visitor  rushed  in  a  crimson 
flood  over  her  brow  and  bosom,  but  she  afiected  to  be- 
lieve that  Josephine  was  correct  in  her  conclusions ; 
and  contented  herself  by  inveighing  bitterly  against 
the  slanderers  by  whom  she  had  been  maligned. 

"Nothing  can  be  more  false ;"  she  said  vehemently ; 
"  than  all  the  tales  which  have  been  circulated  against 
me,  and  the  conduct  which  has  been  attributed  to  me, 
both  morally  and  politically.  Was  I  to  blame  if  after 
they  had  married  me,  a  mere  child,  to  a  man  who 
might  have  been  my  father  (and  who  was,  moreover, 
pei-sonally  repugnant  to  me),  if  I  refused  at  a  more 


6  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

mature  age  to  submit  to  a  worse  than  Siberian  bond- 
age ?  Was  I  to  blame  if  I  could  not  support  life  with 
Tallien,  who,  after  having  been  the  most  devoted  of 
lovers,  became  the  most  exacting  and  tyrannical  of 
husbands  ?  As  regards  my  actions  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, let  those  whom  1  saved  from  the  scaffold — and 
they  were  not  a  few — answer  for  me ;  I  scorn  on  that 
subject  to  justify  myself.  Ko  one  can  have  a  greater 
contempt  for  the  verdict  of  the  public  than  I  have;  but 
I  am  anxious  to  secure  the  good  opinion  of  Bonaparte, 
and  to  compel  him  to  admit  that  he  has  been  led  into 
error.  I  will  give  him  proofs  of  this  by  which  he  can- 
not refuse  to  be  convinced." 

"  Dearest  Therese ;"  exclaimed  her  friend ;  "  you 
could  not  have  formed  a  wiser  resolution.  He  is  al- 
ways generous  enough  to  acknowledge  himself  in  the 
wrong  when  once  he  feels  that  he  is  so ;  and  if  you 
can  only  succeed  in  showing  how  much  his  confidence 
has  been  abused,  he  will,  I  am  quite  sure,  revoke  this 
detestable  order,  and  restore  you  to  my  aifection." 

Having  matured  their  plans,  the  two  friends  sepa- 
rated ;  and  Madame  Tallien  left  the  Luxembourg 
after  having  arranged  to  return  on  the  morrow  at  any 
hour  when  it  might  be  convenient  to  Bonaparte  to 
receive  her,  provided  that  his  wife  should  succeed  in 
inducing  him  to  do  so. 

The  part  which  Josephine  was  called  upon  to  play 
in  this  little  drama  was  anything  rather  than  an  easy 
one,  as  since  his  vehement  passion  had  sobered  down, 
the  imperious  nature  of  Bonaparte  had  revealed  itself 
even  to  the  "  honne  petite  mire^''  to  whom  he  had  for- 
merly addressed  letters  worthy  rather  of  a  hot-headed 


A  CONSULAR 

Bchool-boy  than  of  a  man  who  aspired  to  dictate  the 
laws  to  Europe,  and  to  overrun  the  world — letters* 
several  of  which  are  not  the  less  valuable  from  their 
almost  total  illegibility ;  for  never  did  the  school-boy, 
to  whom  we  have  already  likened  him,  burthen  post 
or  courier  with  more  blurred,  blotted,  and  bewildering 
missives  than  the  conqueror  of  Marengo,  and  the  fugi- 
tive of  Waterloo. 

Josephine  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  talent 
of  seduction.  We  say  this  without  arriere-pensee^  for 
it  is  not  here  or  now  that  we  are  inclined  to  canvass 
her  moral  character,  or  to  discuss  the  episodes  of  her 
private  life ;  we  have  to  do  with  Madame  Tallien,  and 
with  Madame  Tallien  only.  Here  Therese  Cabarrus  is 
the  principal  figure,  and  Josephine  de  la  Pagerie  only 
a  necessary  accessory.  Let  it  suffice  then,  that  the 
wife  of  the  First  Consul  thoroughly  underetood  every 
mutation  of  his  mind  and  temper;  and  that  she  was 
perfectly  aware  of  the  moment  when  her  own  influ- 
ence was  in  the  ascendant.  She  knew  precisely  when 
to  flatter  his  vanity,  and  when  to  win  him  to  her  pur- 
pose by  the  blandishments  and  caresses  which  even 
the  most  iron  nature  cannot  at  all  times  resist.  Mark 
Anthony  lost  the  world  for  a  woman  ;  what  wonder 
then  that  the  Corsican  adventurer  was  occasionally 
swayed  by  the  soft  tones,  the  sleepy  glances,  and  the 
tender  professions  of  a  Creole  ?  Josephine  was  well 
aware  that  there  was  not  one  particle  of  chivalry,  as 
regarded  her  own  sex,  in  the  character  of  her  husband ; 
but  she  also  knew  that  he  was  always  more  manage- 
able after  he  had  indulged  in  an  exhibition  of  his 
power  before  which   others  had  been  compelled  to 


8  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTOEY. 

quail,  than  at  any  other  time ;  and  she  consequently 
resolved  that  she  would  not  suJffer  the  sun  to  set  before 
she  had  induced  him  to  accord  the  interview  solicited 
by  Madame  Tallien. 

At  first  Bonaparte  felt  inclined,  when  the  subject  of 
his  wife's  friend  was  resumed,  to  give  loose  to  as  much 
petulance  and  ill-humor  as  he  had  displayed  in  the 
morning ;  and  the  frown  which  habitually  gathered 
upon  his  brow  when  he  was  displeased  was  already 
beginning  to  make  Josephine  tremble,  when  he  suddenly 
recovered  his  serenity,  and  said  : — 

"  Well,  since  you  wish  it,  let  her  come.  I  will  see 
her ;"  but  before  his  wife  could  thank  him  for  the  con- 
cession, he  had  already  started  a  new  topic. 

Madame  Bonaparte  was  enchanted ;  she  believed 
that  he  was  conquered.  She  was  deceived,  however ; 
the  victory  was  not  yet  gained.  On  the  morrow  Ma- 
dame Tallien  arrived  in  full  dress — as  full  dress  was 
understood  during  the  Eevolution — for  she  wore  in 
reality  a  Grecian  tunic,  fashioned  after  a  drawing  by 
Girodet,  which  was  composed  of  a  light  and  transparent 
material,  although  the  interview  we  are  about  to  chro- 
nicle took  place  in  the  month  of  ISTovember.  A  scarf 
of  gold-embroidered  muslin  was  flung  loosely  about 
her,  which  left  her  shoulders  and  bust  almost  bare  ; 
her  feet,  which  were  small  and  white  enough  for  those 
of  a  nymph,  instead  of  being  imprisoned  in  slippers, 
were  covered  only  by  sandals  which  enhanced  rather 
than  veiled  their  rare  beauty,  and  which  were  fastened 
on  her  instep  by  large  brilliants  ;  her  naked  arms  were 
encircled  from  the  shoulder  to  the  wrists  by  gold 
bangles,  enriched  with  antique  cameos  of  almost  fabu- 


A  CONSULAR 

lous  value ;  while  her  head  was  adorned  only  by  masses 
of  tlie  most  luxuriant  black  hair,  which  gleamed  with  a 
rich  purple  hue  in  the  light. 

Accustomed  as  she  had  long  been  to  see  her  friend 
attired  in  this  mythological  costume,  Madame  Bona- 
parte was  loud  in  her  expressions  of  admiration  ;  but 
after  the  eager  words  of  compliment  and  greeting  had 
been  exchanged,  she  anxiously  inquired  the  nature  of 
the  proofs  with  which  her  visitor  intended  to  convince 
the  somewhat  intractable  mind  of  the  Fii-st  Consul. 

"  He  will  require  them  to  be  clear  and  unanswer- 
able ;"  she  said  ;  "  for" — and  it  is  impossible  to  decide 
what  reflection  caused  her  to  pause  for  a  moment  as  she 
sat  with  her  eyes  riveted  upon  the  wondrous  vision  of 
loveliness  before  her — "  he  is  not  like  other  men." 

"  Proofs  clear  and  unanswerable  ?"  smiled  Madame 
Tallien,  as  she  surveyed  herself  complacently  in  the 
mirror  before  which  she  stood,  and  which  reflected  her 
whole  person.  "  Do  not  fear ;  he  shall  have  them  ; 
and  he  will  recognise  their  authenticity." 

Josephine  made  no  reply  ;  she  was  far  from  sharing 
in  the  confidence  of  her  friend ;  she  began  to  compre- 
hend in  what  the  promised  proofs  were  to  consist,  and 
she  knew  her  husband  too  well  to  believe  that  they 
would  avail. 

Suddenly  Bonaparte,  who  had  given  orders  that  he 
should  be  immediately  apprised  of  the  arrival  of  Ma- 
dame Tallien  in  his  wife's  apartments,  entered  the  room 
nnannounced ;  and  closed  the  door  behind  him  even 
more  abruptly  than  he  had  opened  it.  Josephine, 
alarmed  alike  by  his  manner  and  by  the  expression  of 
his  countenance,  took  refuge  in  her  chamber ;  while  the 

1* 


10  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

visitor,  astonislied,  and  even  terrified  in  her  turn,  rose 
from  the  sofa  upon  which  she  had  been  sitting  beside 
her  friend,  and  stood  motionless  before  him. 

''  Madame,"  said  the  First  Consul  gravely  :  "  you  say 
that  you  have  been  the  victim  of  calumny.  You  have 
a  right  to  be  heard.  Prove  this  to  me,  and  you  shall  be 
justified,  not  only  in  my  eyes,  but  in  those  of  all  France." 

The  cold,  commanding,  and  even  arbitrary  tone  in 
which  the  assurance  was  uttered,  and  an  evident  con- 
sciousness of  power  for  which  she  was  totally  unpre- 
pared, overcame  as  if  by  magic  the  self-reliance  of  the 
hitherto-triumphant  beauty  ;  she  endeavored  in  vain  to 
rally  her  energies  ;  she  was  totally  unnerved  ;  and,  ac- 
customed as  she  had  long  been  to  triumph  by  her  smiles 
and  graces,  she  found  herself  reduced  on  the  present 
occasion,  to  take  refuge  in  the  most  common -pi  ace 
complaints  of  her  calumniators. 

"  All  this  is  mere  verbiage,  madame,"  said  Bonaparte, 
after  having  listened  patiently  until  she  paused ;  "  I 
require  positive  facts — tangible  proofs.  You  are  ac- 
cused of  having  participated  in  the  sanguinary  acts  of 
Tallien ;  of  having  entered  into  the  persecutions  of 
Hobespierre." 

An  exclamation  of  indignant  anger  was  the  reply  of 
Madame  Tallien  to  this  accusation.  On  this  point  at 
least  she  felt  that  she  was  blameless ;  tears  of  wounded 
feeling  inundated  her  cheeks,  and  her  deprecatory  ges- 
ture was  so  eloquent  and  so  convincing,  that  even  the 
First  Consul  was  impressed  by  its  sincerity. 

"  Calm  yourself;"  he  said,  more  gently  than  he  had 
yet  spoken  ;  "  calm  yourself,  madame  ;  I  am  prepared 
to  listen  to  your  refutation  of  this  charge." 


A  CONSULAR   "  LIONNE."  11 

"I  can  and  will  refute  it,  monsieur,"  she  replied 
emphatically ;  and  the  task  was,  in  point  of  fact,  an 
easy  one.  She  enumerated  those  whom  she  had  saved; 
she  named  the  numerous  victims  whom  she  had  pre- 
Berved,  not  only  from  proscription  but  even  from  deatli ; 
those  whom  she  had  preserved  from  ruin ;  and  invoked 
a  crowd  of  witnesses,  who  would,  as  she  declared  with 
all  the  trustfulness  of  a  generous  spirit,  not  fail  to  do 
her  justice  on  such  an  emergency. 

There  was  no  room  for  doubt ;  so  far  she  had  con- 
quered ;  but  her  ordeal — and  it  was  a  fiery  one — was 
not  yet  over. 

"  So  far,  so  well,  madame ;"  said  the  First  Consul ; 
"  you  have  decidedly  satisfied  me  that  as  regards  your 
conduct  at  Bordeaux  towards  the  victims  of  a  mistaken 
policy,  your  enemies  have  cruelly  wronged  you.  I  am 
glad  to  find  that  I  have  been  deceived ;  you  prevented 
all  the  evil  in  your  power ;  you  even  did  all  the  good 
that  it  was  possible  for  you  to  do ;  and  you  have  been 
wrongfully  associated  with  the  atrocities  so  justly  attri- 
buted to  your  husband.  Enough  of  this  accusation 
therefore  ;  and  now  let  us  pass  on  to  the  others." 

The  others !  The  modern  Caesar  had,  indeed,  by 
those  two  simple  words,  tendered  the  deadly  viper  to 
the  modern  Cleopatra.  Enough,  that  after  a  long  and 
painful  discussion,  during  which  neither  the  loveliness, 
the  disclaimers,  nor  the  entreaties  of  the  fair  and  frail 
creature  before  him,  sufiiced  to  shake  the  resolution  of 
Bonaparte  ;  he  said  emphatically : — 

"  Madame,  the  wife  of  Caesar  must  not  be  susi)ected, 
even  unjustly  ;  and  mine  can  admit  into  her  society 
only  individuals  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  be  free 


12  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

from  all  fear  of  calumny.  This  circumstance  will  suf- 
fice to  prove  to  you  that  she  will  henceforward  be  com- 
pelled to  deprive  herself  of  the  honor  of  receiving  you 
until—" 

"  Monsieur ;"  exclaimed  Madame  Tallien ;  "  you  ap- 
pear to  forget  that  Josephine  de  Beauharnais,  and  even 
Madame  Bonaparte — " 

"  Silence,  madame !"  thundered  out  the  First  Consul ; 
"  I  did  not  seek  to  dilate  upon  your  conduct ;  you  forced 
the  task  upon  me ;  and  I  have  been  compelled  to  con- 
vince you  that  you  would  have  done  better  had  you  not 
enforced  upon  me  the  necessity  of  proving  to  you  that 
I  had  nothing  to  learn  either  of  Madame  de  Fontenay 
or  Madame  Tallien.  We  will  prolong  this  interview  no 
longer.  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  display  more  courtesy 
towards  a  lady,  but  the  world  has  its  eyes  upon  me. — 
Farewell,  madame." 

The  voice  of  Bonaparte  softened  as  he  ceased  speak- 
ing, and  his  look  lost  its  sternness  as  he  contemplated 
the  state  of  agitation  and  humiliation  to  which  the 
proud  beauty  was  reduced ;  but  Madame  Tallien  saw 
nothing,  felt  nothing,  save  the  mortifying  position  in 
which  she  had  been  placed  by  an  overweening  vanity, 
which  had  induced  her  to  believe  that  the  man  who  had 
suffered  himself  to  be  subjugated  by  the  indolent  graces 
of  a  Creole,  would  find  her  own  glowing  loveliness  irre- 
sistible, and  a  sufficient  apology  for  her  more  than 
equivocal  antecedents. 

As  he  left  the  room,  the  First  Consul  closed  the  door 
with  a  studied  violence  which  apprised  his  wife  of  his 
departure,  and  she  hastened  to  rejoin  her  friend. 

It  was   their  last  fan^iliar  interview.      The  futiir^ 


18 

Princesse  de  Chimay  was  extended  almost  lifeless  iipon 
a  couch,  where  she  had  thrown  herself  as  Bonaparte 
disappeared. 

Josephine  did  not  ask  a  question,  there  was  no  neces- 
sity for  words.  Crushed  and  humbled  by  a  man  whom 
she  both  hated  and  despised,  and  whom  she  had  only 
sought  to  conciliate  from  affection  for  his  wife,  Madame 
Tallien,  forgetting  all  her  pride,  wept  bitterly  over  her 
own  degradation ;  while  the  tears  of  Josephine  fell 
thick  and  fast  as  she  clasped  her  in  her  arms.  It  was 
a  bitter  hour  for  both ;  and  who  shall  say  what  visions 
of  the  past  swept  across  the  mind  of  each  as  they  thus 
bent  under  one  common  grief — the  cell  of  the  Carme- 
lites— the  saloons  of  Barras — but  we  will  not  follow 
them  in  their  eventful  reminiscences ;  enough,  that  as 
they  sat  there  side  by  side,  one  the  divorced  wife  of 
two  husbands,  the  other  the  honored  consort  of  the 
most  powerful  man  in  France,  before  whom  crowned 
kings  had  already  bowed,  and  nations  trembled,  there 
was  that  in  either  heart  which  could  not  fail  to  whisper 
by  how  small  a  chance  their  destinies  might  have  been 
reversed. 

Tlie  chronicles  of  female  life  do  not  afford  the  least 
startling  details  of  that  frightful  volume  which  contains 
the  records  of  the  Eevolution ! 


14  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

*  AN   EVENING   AT   LA   MALMAISON. 

Long  previous  to  tlie  period  at  which  ISTapoleon  I. 
became  Emperor  of  the  French,  the  chateau  of  la  Mal- 
maison — despite  all  the  additions  which  had  been  made 
to  it  since  its  acquisition  by  Madame  Bonaparte  during 
the  Eg3'ptian  campaign — had,  like  the  dwelling  of 
Socrates,  become  too  narrow  to  accommodate  the  crowd 
of  courtiers  by  whom  it  was  tlironged  ;  and  accordingly 
the  official  country  residence  of  the  First  Consul  was 
established  at  St.  Cloud ;  while  la  Malmaison  was  de- 
voted to  the  reception  of  his  relatives,  and  those  per- 
sonal friends  who  were  peculiarly  honored  with  his 
confidence. 

Under  the  Empire  this  arrangement  was  continued  ; 
and  Napoleon  was  accustomed,  then  and  there,  to  for- 
get for  awhile  the  monarch  in  the  man,  and  to  dispense 
with  the  cumbrous  trammels  of  an  etiquette  which  the 
earlier  habits  of  his  life  necessarily  tended  to  render 
more  than  commonly  irksome. 

It  w^as  especially  in  the  evening,  when  the  cares  and 
duties  of  the  day  were  at  an  end,  that  the  Emperor, 
surrounded  by  a  chosen  circle,  either  conversed  without 
restraint,  or  related  anecdotes  connected  with  his  own 
w^onderful  career,  in  a  brief,  emphatic,  and  even  dra- 
matic manner,  which  riveted  the  attention  of  his  lis- 


AN   EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISOX.  15 

teners.  It  is  well  known  that  Napoleon  prided  himself 
on  Iiis  talent  as  a  cotiUur;  and  that  he  seldom  required 
much  entreaty  to  fall  back  upon  his  stirring  and  varied 
memories,  and  to  afford  to  his  hearers  partial  and 
mj'sterions  glimpses  of  men  and  events  which  must 
otherwise  have  remained  nnguessed  at. 

On  one  occasion,  when  the  party  comprised  only  cer- 
tain members  of  the  Imperial  family,  and  the  more 
confidential  individuals  of  their  respective  households, 
the  Duke  of  Wurtemberg  chanced  to  be  mentioned ; 
upon  which  the  Emperor  uttered  a  warm  eulogium  on 
that  prince,  which  he  concluded  by  inquiring  if  it  were 
correct  that  the  Elector  of  Wurtemberg  really  did,  as 
he  assumed  to  do,  trace  his  descent  from  a  Mayor  of 
the  Palace  of  Clovis,  named  Eymerich  ? 

"  No,  sire  ;"  replied  M.  d'Aubesson,  one  of  his 
chamberlains,  celebrated  for  his  antiquarian  researches; 
"  such  a  pretension  is  altogether  unfounded,  as  all  is 
mere  fable  regarding  the  Electoral  House  of  Wurtem- 
berg, beyond  the  eleventh  century.  Its  recognised 
founder,  Conrad  11. ,  was  the  ancestor  of  a  line  of 
princes  who  were  equally  distinguished  as  rulers  and  as 
warriors;  but  it  was  only  towards  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century  that  the  Countship  of  Wurtemberg 
was  erected  into  a  duchy  by  the  Emperor  Maximilian  ; 
when  Count  Eberhard,  having  subjected  to  his  author- 
ity a  part  of  Suabia,  solicited  the  title,  for  which  he 
moreover  paid  three  hundred  thousand  florins." 

"  No  bad  bargain  for  Maximilian;"  said  Napoleon, 
inhaling  a  huge  pinch  of  snuff;  '-Proceed,  M.  le 
GeneologisU.^'' 

"  The    newly-made    duke    remained   the   vassal   of 


16  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

Austria,  as  liis  father  liad  been  before  him  ;"  continued 
the  chamberlain  ;  "  although  thenceforward  he  became 
Duke  of  Wurtemberg  and  Leek,  and  grand  standard- 
bearer  of  the  Empire.  It  was  not  imtil  the  reign  of 
the  Emperor  Rodolphe  IL  that  his  descendants  shook 
off  the  Austrian  yoke,  and  that  the  Duchy  of  Wurtem- 
berg  became  a  lief  of  Rome ;  with  the  sole  reservation 
that,  in  the  event  of  the  ducal  house  becoming  extinct, 
it  was  to  revert  to  its  original  master.  Consequently, 
it  is  only  from  that  period  that  the  princes  of  Wurtem- 
berg  have  exercised  an  independent  sovereignty." 

"  I  have  since  added  a  jewel  to  their  crown  ;" 
remarked  the  Emperor  thoughtfully,  as  he  rose,  and 
began  to  pace  the  floor  slowly,  with  his  hands  behind 
him,  according  to  his  usual  habit ;  "  I  have  caused  it 
to  be  admitted  into  the  Electoral  College.  Perhaps — • 
How  old  is  the  present  king,  M.  d'Aubesson  ?" 

"  He  is  far  from  being  a  young  man,  sire ;  in  fact,  he 
is  now  seventy  years  of  age.  Frederick  William  was 
born  in  1734 ;  and  in  1780  he  married  the  Princess 
Caroline  of  Brunswick- Wolfenbuttel,  who  died  on  the 
27th  of  September,  1788." 

"  Aye ;"  said  Kapoleon,  suddenly  pausing  in  his 
walk  and  confronting  the  speaker ;  "  Frederick  Wil- 
liam, King  of  Wurtemberg,  is  a  widower." 

Nothing  could  be  more  simple  than  these  words,  but 
there  was  something  so  peculiar  in  the  tone  in  which 
they  were  uttered,  that  for  a  moment  no  one  spoke ; 
at  length,  however,  Josephine,  whose  curiosity  was 
aroused  by  the  mysterious  manner  of  her  husband, 
roused  herself  from  her  recumbent  position  on  the  sofa, 
where  she  had  been  reclining  in  all  the  graceful  indo- 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  17 

lence  of  her  Creole  nature,  and  asked  in  her  low,  sweet 
voice  : — 

"  AVlmt  have  you  to  tell  us,  Bonaparte  ?'' 

Tlie  Emperor  smiled,  took  another  long  pinch  of 
snuff,  and  then,  resuming  his  former  position,  with  his 
back  to  the  fireplace,  and  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  beauti- 
ful questioner,  he  said  emphatically  ; — 

"  Listen.  On  the  4th  of  October,  1788,  and  at  pre- 
cisely 8  o'clock  in  the  morning,  a  man  made  his  appear- 
ance at  the  residence  of  M.  Diedrich,  the  principal 
magistrate  of  the  city  of  Strasbourg.  Tlie  servant  who 
announced  him  was  as  pale  as  a  corpse,  and  trembled 
in  every  limb.  '  What  is  the  matter  with  you, 
Franck?'"  asked  his  master. 

"  *  Sir,'  stammered  the  valet. 

"  *  Answer  me  instantly  I' 

"  '  Sir,  it  is  the  public  executioner.' 

" '  Desire  him  to  come  in,  and  then  leave  us ;'  was 
the  calm  reply. 

"  The  headsman  of  Strasbourg ;"  pursued  Napoleon ; 
"  was,  despite  his  horrible  profession,  a  man  of  exem- 
plary character  ;  mild  in  temper,  of  good  morals,  pious, 
and  charitable.  He  was,  moreover,  a  clever  surgeon, 
and  very  expert  in  reducing  fractures  and  setting  bro- 
ken limbs  ;  services  which  he  never  refused  to  render 
to  those  who  applied  to  him  for  assistance  ;  a  circum- 
stance which,  as  you  will  readily  understand,  had 
acquired  for  him  a  species  of  popularity  among  the 
lower  classes,  who  pitied  without  despising  him ;  and, 
by  a  singular  anomaly,  respected  him  even  while  his 
presence  never  failed  to  inspire  a  terror  which  they 
could  not  overcome." 


18  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Josephine  sliiiddered,  and  drew  her  shawl  more 
closely  about  her.  She  was,  as  is  well  known,  exceed- 
ingly superstitious ;  and  her  attention  was  thoroughly 
aroused. 

"  When  Franck  had  closed  the  door  behind  him ;" 
continued  ISTapoleon ;  "  this  man  moved  a  pace  or  two 
forward ;  and  then,  as  was  customary,  knelt  down. 
The  expression  of  his  face  was  serious,  but  calm  and 
decided. 

"  '  What  want  you  with  me,  my  master  V  inquired 
M.  Diedrich. 

"  'I  obey  the  promptings  of  my  conscience,  monseig- 
neur  /'  was  the  reply  ;  ^  I  seek  to  fullil  a  duty.  Con- 
descend therefore,  I  entreat  of  you,  to  receive  my 
declaration,  and  to  take  it  down  in  writing.  The  cir- 
cumstance which  lam  about  to  reveal  is  important ;  do 
not  then  omit  a  detail,  for  I  feel  that  it  is  only  by  a 
complete  and  clear  understanding  of  the  facts  that  my 
agency  in  the  unhappy  event  can  be  justified.' 

"This  preface  naturally  excited  the  curiosity  of  the 
magistrate ;  who,  having  seated  himself  at  his  desk, 
desired  the  executioner  to  tell  his  tale. 

"  ^  About  a  week  since  ;'  commenced  the  man,  still 
kneeling ;  '  that  is,  monseigneur,  at  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  27tli  September  last,  I  was  in  bed  in 
the  lone  house  given  to  me  by  the  city,  when  I  heard 
a  loud  knocking  at  the  outer  door.  My  old  house- 
keeper, who  had  been  awakened  by  the  noise,  had 
already  gone  to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  the  disturb- 
ance, and  had  ultimately  opened  it,  believing  that  my 
services  were  required,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  by 
some  one  who  was  suffering  from  an  accident ;  while, 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA   MALMAISON.  19 

acting  under  the  same  impression,  I  hastened  to  put  on 
my  clothes.  Soon,  however,  I  became  aware  that  the 
poor  helpless  old  woman  was  struggling  with  some 
persons  who  were  threatening  to  shoot  her.  "  Kill  me 
if  you  will ;"  I  heard  her  say  ;  "  but  do  not  harm  my 
master."  "We  shall  do  him  no  injury  ;"  was  the  reply  ; 
"  we  mean  him  none.  On  the  contrary,  he  will  be  well 
paid  if  he  consents  to  do  what  we  require ;  but  if  ho 
values  his  life  he  must  do  so,  or  take  the  consequences 
upon  himself."  By  this  time,  monseignexir,  I  was 
dressed  ;  and  I  was  about  to  go  down  stairs  to  ascertain 
what  was  required  of  me,  when  two  men  in  masks 
rushed  into  my  room,  which  chanced  at  that  moment 
to  be  flooded  with  moonlight.  In  an  instant  I  procured 
a  lamp,  and  demanded  to  know  their  business ;  nor  do 
I  seek  to  deny  that  I  was  considerably  agitated  when  I 
saw  a  brace  of  pistols  pointed  at  my  head  and  breast, 
as  I  began  to  apprehend  that  I  was  about  to  become 
the  victim  of  their  violence.  From  the  isolated  situa- 
tion of  my  dwelling  I  was  aware  that  I  could  hope  for 
no  help  from  without — and  even  had  it  been  otherwise,' 
he  added  mournfully  ;  '  who  would  have  risked  his  life, 
or  even  his  reputation,  to  rescue  the  city-headsman. 
As  a  last  resource,  therefore,  I  entreated  my  mysterious 
visitors  to  spare  my  life  ;  alleging,  and  with  truth,  that 
I  had  never  injured  a  human  being  save  in  the  fulfil- 
ment of  my  onerous  office.  ''  Your  life  is  in  no  danger ;" 
was  the  assurance  which  I  received  in  reply  to  my  sup- 
plication ;  "  on  condition  that  you  implicitly  obey  our 
orders ;  but,  should  you  hesitate,  even  for  an  instant, 
you  will  not  see  another  dawn.  Select  the  best  and 
sharpest  of  your  weapons ;  allow  us  quietly  to  blind- 


20         EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

fold  yoiT ;  remain  silent,  and  follow  us."  As  tlio 
pistols  were  still  pointed  towards  me,  resistance 
was  useless  ;  and  I  was  compelled  to  submit.  When 
a  thick  handkerchief  had  been  carefully  and  skil- 
fully bound  over  my  eyes,  I  was  lifted  into  a  carriage, 
and  seated  between  the  two  strangers  ;  who  had  no 
sooner  warned  my  terrified  housekeeper  that  should  she 
mention  to  any  one,  be  it  whom  it  might,  the  event 
which  had  just  taken  place,  my  life  would  be  the  for- 
feit of  her  indiscretion,  than  the  horses  were  urged  into 
a  gallop  ;  and,  powerless  as  a  child,  I  could  only  offer 
up  a  silent  prayer  for  protection  and  support.  I  could 
not  form  the  faiatest  idea  of  the  direction  in  which  we 
were  travelling;  I  could  only  calculate  that  the  journey 
occupied  eighteen  or  twenty  hours.  At  its  close  I  was 
lifted  out  of  the  carriage  with  the  same  precaution  as  I 
had  been  placed  in  it ;  and  then,  each  of  my  compa- 
nions grasping  one  of  my  arms,  I  was  hurried  forward. 
After  walking  on  a  level  surface  for  several  minutes, 
we  ascended  a  flight  of  stairs,  which,  from  the  echoing 
of  our  footsteps,  I  am  convinced  must  have  been  both 
wide  and  lofty;  and,  finally,  we  reached  a  spacious 
saloon  where  the  bandage  was  removed  from  my  eyes. 
It  was  still  daylight,  but  the  sun  was  about  to  set, 
which  satisfied  me  that  my  calculation  of  time  had 
been  a  correct  one.  An  abundant  and  luxurious  meal 
was  placed  before  me,  but  I  remarked  the  almost  total 
absence  of  wine  from  the  table,  as  my  long  and  rapid  jour- 
ney, aud  the  pressure  of  the  handkerchief  across  my  fore- 
head, had  produced  upon  me  an  almost  agonising  thirst. 
When  the  darkness  closed  in  I  was  desired  to  arm 
myself    with    the  weapon   which    1  had    previously 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  21 

been  directed  to  select,  and  to  liold  myself  ready  to 
decapitate  the  jKjrson  whom  I  had  been  conveyed 
thither  to  execute  ;  but,  even  unhappily  accustomed  as 
I  had  been  for  years  to  fulfil  my  dreary  duties  under 
the  sanction  of  the  law  ;  and,  aware  as  I  could  not  fail 
to  be  from  the  first,  of  the  purpose  for  which  my  pre- 
sence was  required,  now  that  the  moment  of  trial  had 
actually  arrived  my  whole  soul  revolted  at  what  I  at 
once  felt  to  be  a  murder ;  and  consequently,  with  as 
much  energy  as  I  could  command,  I  refused  to  obey. 
"  Decide  promptly,"  said  a  voice,  which  I  then  heard 
for  the  first  time ;  and  there  was  a  cruel  calmness  in  its 
every  accent  which  chilled  my  very  blood.  *'Your 
refusal  will  not  save  the  culprit,  and  you  will  instantly 
share  her  fate." 

"  *  It  was  then  a  woman  whom  I  was  about  to 
launch  into  eternity !  Oh,  monseigneur,  you  would 
have  pitied  even  nu  at  that  moment — a  woman 
who,  for  aught  I  could  tell,  might  be  guiltless  of  all 
crime,  and  the  mere  victim  of  another's  hate.  Yainly, 
however,  did  I  protest  and  entreat ;  I  was  compelled  to 
yield  to  a  force  which  I  was  unable  to  resist — the  sin 
was  heavy  on  my  soul,  but  I  had  no  alternative.  My 
sword  was  placed  in  my  han-d  ;  a  black  veil  was  thrown 
over  my  head ;  and  I  was  forced  onward  through 
several  apartments,  evidently  of  great  size.  At  length 
my  guide  stopped  in  an  immense  hall ;  the  veil  was 
removed,  and  I  saw  before  me,  in  the  centre  of  the  vast 
and  chilling  space,  a  scaffold  about  three  feet  in  height, 
upon  which  rested  a  block  covered  with  black  velvet, 
while  a  thick  layer  of  red  saw-dust  was  strewn  on  the 
uncarpeted  floor.     I  trembled  in  every  limb.     Kever 


22  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

throughout  my  whole  career  had  I  been  so  utterly 
unmanned.  Whose  life  was  I  about  to  take  ?  What 
fearful  and  irremediable  crime  was  I  about  to  commit  ? 
I  had  but  little  time  to  ask  myself  these  questions,  for  a 
few  seconds  only  had  elapsed  since  my  own  entrance 
into  that  fatal  hall  when  the  victim  was  borne  towards 
the  scaffold  in  the  'arms  of  several  men.  It  was  a 
woman  of  unusual  heiglit,  and  of  the  most  dazzling  fair- 
ness ;  her  luxuriant  hair,  of  pale  auburn,  was  confined 
by  a  scarf  of  black  crape;  she  was  uncovered  to 
the  waist,  and  the  rest  of  her  body  was  thrust 
into  a  black  velvet  sack  which  was  tied  under  her 
feet,  thus  leaving  only  her  bust  exposed.  Her 
hands  were  bound  together  with  a  cord  of  purple 
silk,  and  she  was  closely  masked.  The  wretched 
woman  uttered  no  shriek,  no  supplication,  which 
added  to  the  horror  of  the  spectacle  ;  this  mute  despair, 
as  I  then  considered  it,  beiug  strange  and  unnatural ; 
but  she  had  scarcely  been  lifted  on  to  the  scafibld, 
when  1  discovered  that  she  was  closely  gagged  !  The 
men  who  held  her,  eight  or  ten  in  number,  had  no 
sooner  laid  her  down  upon  the  scafibld  than  they  with- 
drew a  few  paces — their  wretched  victim  bent  her  head 
unresistingly  upon  the  block — and  in  another  instant  all 
was  over. 

"  '  Pity  me,  monseigneur^  for  assuredly  a  grievous 
crime  was  consummated  by  my  hand ;  and  ere  long  I 
look  to  learn  that  the  courts  of  Europe  will  be  thrown 
into  mourning.' 

"  '  What  ensued  V  demanded  M.  Diedrich. 

"  '  My  frightful  office  done,'  pursued  the  headsman  ; 
*  I  was  not  even  allowed  time  to  wipe  the  blood  from 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  23 

my  sword  ;  another  performed  that  duty  for  me  ;  while 
I  was  hastily  conducted  back  to  the  saloon  where  food 
liad  been  before  provided  for  me ;  and  where  I  now 
found  the  table  crowded  with  the  rarest  wines.  I 
seated  myself  for  an  instant  in  order  to  regain  com- 
posure, but  I  was  too  sick  at  heart  to  avail  myself  of 
the  proffered  refreshments;  and  in  a  short  time  my 
masked  companions  and  myself  were  once  more  in  the 
carriage.  We  travelled  on  without  halting,  save  to 
change  horses  at  the  several  stages  where  relays  had 
evidently  been  awaiting  us,  and  where  we  were  never 
detained  beyond  a  few  minutes,  throughout  that  night 
and  part  of  the  following  day  ;  and  in  about  twenty 
hours,  as  before,  we  stopped  in  front  of  my  own  house, 
where  I  was  assisted  to  alight,  and  a  canvass  bag  con- 
taining two  hundred  louis  was  placed  in  my  hands. — I 
have  brought  them  with  me,  monseigneur^  that  you 
may  make  whatever  nse  of  them  you  think  best.  I 
was  then  warned  never  to  reveal  any  circumstance 
connected  with  the  event  in  which  I  had  been  so  un- 
willingly and  fatally  an  actor,  on  peril  of  my  life ;  and 
assured  that  if  I  obeyed  this  injunction,  my  silence 
should  be  richly  compensated  :  *•  while  if,  on  the  con- 
trary, you  seek  to  penetrate  a  mystery  in  which  you 
cannot  have  an  interest,  and  to  which  you  can  never 
obtain  a  clue,"  added  one  of  my  companions  ;  "  the 
very  attempt  will  prove  your  own  destruction,  as  "well 
as  that  of  those  to  whom  you  have  been  rash  enough 
to  confide  your  secret."  "With  this  assurance  the 
strangers  drove  ofi^,  leaving  me  standing  in  the  road. 
I  waited  a  short  time,  listening  to  the  sound  of  the 
receding  wheels  ;  and  then,  as  it  died  away  in  the  dis- 


24  EPISODES  OF   FEENCH   HISTORY. 

tance,  I  withdrew  the  handkerchief,  and  joyfully  crossed 
the  threshold  of  my  ow^n  home. 

"  '  I  have  now  told  you  all,  monseigneur.  You  know 
every  detail  of  the  mysterious  and  tragical  history 
with  which  my  conscience  was  so  over-burthen ed  that 
I  could  no  longer  sustain  its  weight  alone.  If  I  have 
offended  against  the  law,  I  must  submit  to  pay  the 
penalty  of  my  crime ;  but,  should  you  feel  that  I  only 
yielded  to  an  insurmountable  necessity,  suffer  me  to 
hope  that  I  may  not  forfeit  the  protection  and  favor 
which  I  have  for  many  years  struggled  to  merit  by 
counterbalancing  the  hateful  duties  of  my  office,  by 
deeds  of  charity  towards  my  fellow-creatures.'  " 

"  And  what  said  M.  Diedrich  ?"  gasped  out  Josephine, 
upon  w^hom  the  dramatic  effect  given  to  the  narrative 
by  the  manner  of  the  Emperor  had  produced  so  strong 
an  impression  that  she  could  not  conceal  her  emotion ; 
"  Surely  he  could  not  condemn  the  unhappy  man  ?" 

"  M.  Diedrich,"  repl  ed  Kapoleon,  "  had  listened 
with  an  interest  equal  tc  your  own  to  the  revelations  of 
the  headsman  ;  but  when  the  latter  drew  the  money 
from  his  bosom  and  held  it  towards  him,  he  became 
alarmed.  It  had  at  once  been  evident  to  him  that  the 
suspicion  of  the  man  was  a  correct  one  ;  and  that  the 
individual  who  had  been  put  to  death  was  no  common 
victim.  Instigated,  therefore,  by  this  conviction,  and 
by  no  means  indifferent  to  the  threat  that  any  recipient 
of  the  formidable  secret  w^ould  share  the  fate  of  him 
who  had  revealed  it,  he  refused  to  risk  the  responsi- 
bility of  accepting  such  a  charge  ;  and  desired  that 
not  only  the  money  should  be  retained  by  its  present 
owner,  but  also  that  he  should  not  divulge  to  any  one 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA   MALMAISON.  25 

the  fact  of  his  having  mentioned  its  existence  to  him- 
self. 

"  *  Be  it  as  you  will,  Tnonseigneur^^  said  his  visitor ; 
*  I  shall,  in  that  case,  expend  it  in  masses  for  the  victim 
who  fell  by  my  hand,  and  in  alms  to  the  poor.  It  is 
only  by  doing  so  that  I  can  regain  peace  of  mind  and 
conscience.'  He  then  signed  the  deposition  that  he 
had  made,  and  withdrew. 

"  M.  Diedrich  was  no  sooner  alone  than  he  placed 
this  extraordinary  document  imder  cover,  and  despatched 
it  by  a  courier  to  tlie  Baron  de  Breteuil,  who  was  at 
tliat  period  Prime  Minister.  A  fortnight  elapsed  ere 
he  received  any  reply ;  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  a 
packet  was  delivered  to  him  by  the  Governor  of  Stras- 
bourg, which  contained  these  words  :  *  Sir,  I  have  sub- 
mitted to  His  Majesty  the  communication  which  you 
addressed  to  me,  and  I  have  been  honored  by  the  com- 
mand of  the  King,  to  express  his  desire  that  the  person 
in  question  shall  retain  the  amount  which  was  bestowed 
on  him;  and  to  inform  you  that  he  will  receive  a 
second  sum  of  the  same  value,  provided  he  maintain 
perfect  silence  on  all  that  has  occurred.'  " 

"  But" — commenced  the  Empress. 

Napoleon  smiled. 

"  Well  ?  "  he  said  interrogatively. 

"  But " — repeated  Josephine  ;  "  we  are  not  surely  to 
infer  that  the  King" — 

"  Madame,"  interposed  Xapoleon,  impressively,  "  I 
am  about  to  conclude  my  tale,  and  perhaps  to  give  you 
the  key  to  it.  Such  events  as  that  which  I  have  just 
related  are  more  common  in  the  history  of  courts  than 
the  uninitiated  would  apprehend  ;  and,  unfortunately, 

2 


26  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

the  fact  is  never  known  until  the  evil  is  beyond 
remedy." 

"  Good  heavens,  Bonaparte !  Why  do  you  tell  us 
such  horrid  stories,  and  compel  us  to  believe  them  ? " 
exclaimed  the  agitated  Josephine.  "  Are  you  endea- 
voring to  frighten  us  to  death  ?  " 

"  Are  you  frightened,  Pauline  ? "  asked  the  Emperor, 
turning  towards  the  fairest  and  the  frailest  of  his  sis- 
ters, the  Princess  Borghese ;  "  I  am,  as  you  hear,  relat- 
ing the  history — or  rather  the  ultimate  fate — of  a 
beautiful,  a  very  beautiful  woman." 

"  Why  do  you  appeal  to  me,  ]N^apoleone  ? "  was  the 
rejoinder.  "  Your  vanity  as  a  conteur  is  really  insatia- 
ble. You  have  beheaded  your  heroine,  so  there  is  an 
end  of  the  affair ;  for  no  one  can  take  the  slightest  in- 
terest in  a  parcel  of  barbarians  who  could  murder  a 
beautiful  woman  in  cold  blood." 

"  !N'evertheless,  and  with  due  deference  to  your 
opinion,  I  will  finish  my  story,"  said  the  Emperor  with 
one  of  his  most  sarcastic  smiles.  "  The  Duke  of  Wur- 
temberg  married  a  second  wife  nine  years  after  the 
death  of  his  first,  and  during  my  campaign  in  Italy. 
The  successor  of  Caroline  of  Brunswick- Wolfenbuttel, 
was  Charlotte  Augusta  Matilda,  Princess-royal  of  Eng- 
land, and  daughter  of  George  II.  He  was  at  that 
period  only  Prince-royal,  but  succeeded  his  father  on 
the  19th  of  December,  1797. 

"  Wurtemberg  had  hitherto  made  common  cause 
with  the  Germanic  Empire  against  France.  The  new 
sovereign  was,  however,  no  sooner  in  possession  of  the 
throne  than  he  hastened  to  conclude  a  peace ;  and 
opened  a  correspondence  for  that  pui-pose  with  me, 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  27 

which  was  carried  on  until  my  departure  for  Egypt.  I 
am  not  about  to  digress  into  politics,  so  do  not  look 
alarmed,  Josephine — Je  reviens  ci  mes  moutotie. 

"  The  first  wife  of  the  Duke  of  Wurtemberg  had 
been  both  beautiful  and  intellectual,  but  she  was, 
nevertheless,  not  perfect ;  and  whispers  soon  became 
rife  at  court  that  she  had  looked  with  marked  favor 
upon  a  certain  handsome  young  page  ;  who,  presuming 
upon  her  protection,  took  the  liberty  of  attempting  to 
leave  the  country  without  the  sanction  of  his  sovereign. 
The  motive  of  his  thus  seeking  to  absent  himself  at  a  time 
when  his  vanity  and  his  ambition  may  be  supposed  to 
have  been  alike  gratified,  was  never  known  ;  though  it 
was  afterwards  surmised  that  his  courage  did  not  alto- 
gether equal  his  personal  advantages  ;  and  that  he  was 
apprehensive  of  the  results  of  an  afiair  so  delicate  and 
dangerous  as  that  in  which  he  found  himself  involved. 
Be  this  as  it  might,  thus  much  at  least  is  certain,  that 
he  had  already  reached  the  frontier,  and  had  nearly 
completed  his  supper,  when  a  peach  was  placed  before 
him  on  a  plate  of  curious  old  china,  beneath  which  he 
found  a  small  scroll  of  paper,  whereon  were  written  the 
words :  *  Return,  or  tremble  ! ' 

"  He  returned. 

"Scarcely,  however,  had  he  regained  the  capital, 
when  he  saw  upon  his  dressing-table  a  magnificent 
vase  of  cut  and  colored  glass ;  and  while  in  the  act  of 
examining  this  new  bauble,  and  wondering  whence  it 
could  have  come,  a  second  scroll,  similar  to  the  first, 
dropped  at  his  feet,  which  being  unrolled,  he  found  to 
contain  a  new  warning.  On  this  occasion  it  bore  the 
injunction,  '  Depart,  or  tremble  !' 


28  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  Yacillating  between  these  two  opposite  commands, 
the  young  man  resolved  to  explain  the  mysterious  cir- 
cumstance to  his  royal  mistress :  to  explain  to  her  the 
peril  in  which  he  stood,  and  to  solicit  her  advice.  Its 
nature  may  be  surmised  by  the  fact  that  the  youth 
made  no  further  attempt  to  leave  the  court. 

"  Rumor  asserts  that,  about  this  time,  a  prince — we 
will  not  guess  at  his  identity — paid  a  visit  to  the  father 
of  the  audacious  page,  and  laid  before  him  sundry  let- 
ters, papers,  and  love-tokens,  tending  to  implicate  the 
wife  of  the  one,  and  the  son  of  the  other ;  and  that 
when  the  miserable  parent  had  read  them  from  end 
to  end,  his  visitor  said  sternly:  *  Pronounce  the  sen- 
tence of  the  culprit.'  The  lips  of  the  wretched  father 
quivered  spasmodically,  but  he  could  not  articulate  a 
syllable;  and,  meanwhile,  the  clear  cold  eye  of  the 
outraged  husband  remained  fixed  upon  him. 

"  They  were  standing  beside  the  wide  hearth,  upon 
which  blazed  a  huge  fire  of  pine-w^ood ;  and  at  length 
the  modern  Brutus  grasped  with  trembling  fingers  one 
of  the  hand-irons  which  chanced  to  be  within  his  reach, 
and  traced  in  the  ashes  several  letters.  The  word  thus 
written  commenced  with  a  D,  and  was  terminated  by 
an  h.  The  sentence  was  tacitly  pronounced.  The 
prince  bent  for  a  few  seconds  over  the  ill-formed  cha- 
racters— ^for  the  muscles  of  the  writer  had  proved  less 
firm  than  his  purpose — and  then,  with  a  cold  bend  of 
the  head,  he  strode  from  the  room  and  left  the  house. 

"  A  council  was  convened,  at  which  were  assembled 
all  the  principal  personages  of  the  state,  and  several 
of  the  relatives  of  the  princess.  The  condemnatory 
documents  were  produced  and  read  ;  and  as  they  were 


AN   EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  29 

conclusive  of  the  guilt  of  both  parties,  each  individual 
present  was  invited  to  pronounce  sentence  upon  the 
accused.  Tlie  first  who  replied  to  the  appeal  declared 
for  a  divorce ;  but  a  near  kinsman  of  the  erring  wife 
vehemently  opposed  what  he  affirmed  to  be  an  ill- 
judged  and  dangerous  act  of  lenity.  *  Her  death  alone;' 
he  exclaimed ;  *  can  save  the  honor  of  the  prince. 
There  is  no  other  alternative.'  His  opinion  was 
adopted;  and  the  council  had  no  sooner  broken  up 
than  the  same  individual  who  had  endeavored  to  save 
the  life  of  the  guilty  woman,  hastened  to  apprise  her 
of  the  fate  with  which  she  was  menaced,  and  to  entreat 
that  she  would  save  herself  by  flight ;  offering  at  the 
same  time  to  assist  her  evasion  that  very  night,  if  she 
would  solemnly  pledge  herself  never  again  to  see  the 
rash  young  man  by  whose  imprudence  she  had  been 
compromised,  and  to  remain  during  the  remainder  of 
her  life  a  self-constituted  prisoner  in  a  castle  in  Scot- 
land, where  he  could  insure  her  a  refuge. 

"As  she  rejected  both  these  conditions  with  haughty 
displeasure,  the  interview  was  abruptly  terminated  by 
her  chivalrous  visitor;  who,  although  he  had  been 
willing  to  risk  his  own  life  in  order  to  save  that  of  his 
fair  but  frail  mistress,  could  not  contemplate  without 
disgust  her  steady  perseverance  in  vice,  even  under  cir- 
cumstances so  threatening  as  those  by  which  she  was 
surrounded.  '  Pardon  me,  madame  ;'  he  said  coldly  as 
he  prepared  to  leave  the  room  ;  '  I  intruded  myself  in 
the  hope  of  rendering  service  to  a  repentant  woman ; 
but  I  have  no  help  to  offer  to  one  who  glories  in  her 
sin.'     Unhappily  for  herself,  she  did  not  recall  him. 

"The  room  occupied  by  the  page  was  situated  on 


30  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

the  higher  story  of  the  palace,  at  the  termination  of  a 
long  gallery,  which  was  repeated  on  every  floor  to  the 
foundation  of  the  building.  It  was  necessary  that  he 
should  traverse  this  gallery  in  order  to  gain  a  back 
staircase  by  which  he  was  accustomed  to  reach  the 
private  apartments  of  the  princess ;  and  his  destruction 
was  consequently  easy.  On  each  floor,  and  precisely 
on  the  same  spot,  four  boards  were  removed,  thus  form- 
ing a  wide  opening,  which  terminated  only  above  the 
chamber  of  his  royal  mistress.  The  upper  gallery, 
into  which  his  own  room  opened,  was  never  lighted  ; 
an  arrangement  which  had  hitherto  been  subject  of 
congratulation  to  both  parties,  as  it  rendered  his  move- 
ments less  likely  to  excite  observation ;  and  one  upon 
which  they  had  frequently  congratulated  themselves. 
He  had,  therefore,  been  long  accustomed  to  grope  his 
way  in  the  darkness ;  and — thus  much  premised — ^you 
may  readily  anticipate  the  sequel.  The  wretched  page, 
unsuspicious  of  the  fate  which  impended  over  him,  and 
so  familiar  with  his  path  that  he  needed  no  lamp  to 
guide  his  footsteps,  sprang  across  the  threshold  of  his 
chamber  without  one  misgiving  as  the  last  sounds  of  life 
died  away  in  the  corridors  of  the  palace,  and  the  deep 
silence  of  midnight  settled  over  its  dim  halls  and  pas- 
sages— three  bounds,  and  his  foot  met  no  resistance — 
down,  down,  headlong,  from  floor  to  floor,  fell  the  bold 
and  ambitious  boy  who  had  dared  to  raise  his  eyes  to 
the  wife  of  his  sovereign — down,  down,  until  he  met 
with  one  slight  obstacle  in  his  descent,  so  slight  that  it 
failed  beneath  his  weight,  and  only  served  to  render 
his  sufi'ering  more  acute.  The  planks  which  formed  the 
ceiling  of  the  princess's  apartment  had  not  been  re- 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  31 

moved,  lest  the  circumstance  might  attract  her  notice 
and  thus  excite  her  suspicions,  but  they  were  so  skil- 
fully sawn  through  that  they  hung  merely  by  a  few 
fibres;  and  he  had  therefore  no  sooner  struck  upon 
tliem  tlian  they  yielded  beneath  the  sudden  pressure  ; 
and  tlie  blooming  page,  with  his  blue  eyes,  his  cloud  of 
sunny  hair,  his  ruby  lips,  and  his  graceful  limbs,  fell  a 
shapeless  and  ensanguined  mass  at  the  feet  of  the  royal 
lady  who  was  awaiting  him." 

A  cry  of  horror  burst  from  all  the  auditors  of  the 
Emperor ;  and  his  self-gratulation  at  the  effect  which 
his  narrative  had  produced  was  visible. 

Not  a  voice  was  raised  to  urge  him  to  proceed  with 
his  tale,  but  eacli  of  the  party  looked  earnestly  towards 
him.  Napoleon  perfectly  underetood  the  silent  and 
agitated  appeal.  He  slowly  buried  his  finger  and 
thumb  in  his  snuff-box,  inhaled  "  the  fragrant  weed" 
with  epicurean  deliberation;  and  then,  resuming  his 
habitual  attitude,  he  pursued  his  narration. 

"The  scene  must  have  been  a  frightful  one  when 
Mary  Stuart  vainly  sought  to  screen  Rizzio  from  the 
daggers  of  his  assassins,  and  saw  the  skirts  of  her  robe 
dabbled  in  his  blood ;  but  that  was  mere  melodrama 
to  the  spectacle  of  Caroline  of  Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel 
gazing  down  upon  the  mummified  mass  of  what  had  so 
lately  been  the  peerless  person  of  her  lover.  No  doubt 
that  her  first  impulse  must  have  been  to  fling  herself 
upon  his  body ;  to  clasp  him,  crushed  and  disfigured  as 
he  was,  to  the  heart  which  had  enshrined  him  as  its 
idol ;  but  even  passion  is  not  omnipotent,  for  we  are  all 
more  or  less  human  and  self-centred.  Well  is  it  for  us 
that  we  are  so  perpetually  satisfied  with  the  surface  of 


32  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

things  ;  that  we  do  not  seek  to  look  deeper  ;  let  us  re- 
tain our  illusions  while  we  can. 

"  In  this  case  the  illusion  lasted  no  longer ;  what 
Caroline  had  loved  was  the  brilliant  beauty,  and  the 
faultless  proportions  of  the  unhappy  boy  whom  she  had 
lured  to  his  destruction — and  what  remained  of  these  ? 
A  shapeless  and  gory  heap,  at  which  her  woman  nature 
revolted,  and  before  which  her  woman-courage  shrank 
appalled.  That  thus  it  must  have  been  is  certain ;  for 
the  gorgeous  apartment,  whose  echoes  had  long  been 
awakened  only  by  murmured  words  of  tenderness  and 
sighs  of  passion,  now  resounded  with  wild  shrieks,  and 
bursts  of  unearthly  laughter ;  while  her  women,  at- 
tracted by  the  cries  of  their  mistress,  rushed  to  her  as- 
sistance, ignorant  of  the  catastrophe  which  awaited  them. 

"  The  princess  was  borne  to  her  bed  insensible.  The 
screams  of  her  attendants  aroused  the  other  inmates  of 
the  palace,  and  the  greatest  consternation  prevailed. 
The  accident  appeared  so  inexplicable  that  even  horror 
was  partially  swallowed  up  in  astonishment ;  although 
there  were  a  few  among  the  spectators  who  looked 
gloomily  upon  each  other,  like  men  disposed  to  seek  a 
deeper  and  darker  solution  of  the  mystery  than  they 
cared  to  acknowledge.  There  was,  however,  one  in- 
dividual of  more  nerve  and  presence  of  mind  than  those 
about  him,  who  undertook  to  explain  the  cause  of  the 
frightful  tragedy  by  asserting  that,  beyond  all  doubt, 
the  dry  rot  had  destroyed  the  timbers  of  the  palace ; 
and,  in  accordance  with  this  opinion,  all  the  galleries 
on  that  side  of  the  building  were  closed,  on  the  pretext 
that  they  were  too  dangerous  for  use  until  the  flooring 
had  been  relaid. 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  33 

"  Tlie  public  were  satisfied  with  this  explanation-^let 
\\B  not  quarrel  with  their  credulity. 

*'  The  princess  was  no  sooner  restored  to  conscious- 
ness than  she  thoroughly  appreciated  the  peril  of  her 
j>osition.  She  regretted,  beyond  all  doubt,  her  refusal 
to  accept  the  asylum  in  Scotland  which  had  been 
oftered  to  her.  She  was  alone  with  her  guilt  and  her 
terrors ;  friendless ;  and,  as  she  was  too  well  aware,  not 
only  suspected,  but  condemned.  She  felt  that  the  fato 
of  the  page  foreshadowed  her  own  ;  and  that  she  had  no 
resource  save  in  flight.  But  whither  ?^ — ^Wliat  mattered 
it  ?  The  world  was  wide ;  and  turn  on  which  side  she 
might,  she  must  be  equally  a  wanderer  and  a  stranger. 
Tlie  duchy  of  which  she  had  been  one  of  the  brightest 
ornaments,  was  a  mere  speck  on  the  map  of  Europe. 
She  must  escape  !  Once  beyond  the  frontier  and  she 
would  be  safe.  But  to  whom  could  she  apply  for  help? 
Whom  dai-e  she  trust  ?  Doubts  like  these  are  one  of  the 
most  bitter  curses  of  greatness.  Tlie  very  ^divinity 
which  doth  hedge  a  king,'  as  the  English  poet  expresses 
it,  flings  back  the  warmer  and  kindlier  feelings  of  our 
fellow-men.  Crowned  heads  and  sovereign  princes 
may  boast  of  devoted  followers  and  faithful  servants, 
but  it  is  rare,  indeed,  that  they  can  secure  a  friend. 

"  Precisely  in  this  position  was  Caroline  of  Bruns- 
wick-Wolfenbuttel  at  this  critical  moment  of  her  life. 
To  whom  could  she  apply  for  help  ?  In  whom  dare 
she  confide?  These  were  questions  which  she  asked 
herself  until  her  heart  heaved  almost  to  bursting,  and 
her  brain  reeled ;  but  the  minutes  were  growing  into 
hours,  and  something  must  be  done.  After  mature 
reflection  she  at  length  resolved  to  confide  in  her  first 

2* 


34  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

waiting- woman,  to  whom  she  had  been  an  indulgent 
and  munificent  mistress ;  Gemonde  was  bound  to  her 
by  a  thousand  obligations ;  alike  in  sorrow  and  in  joy 
she  had  shown  her  a  ready  sympathy ;  she  had  never 
wounded  her  feelings  by  a  harsh  word  or  a  disdainful 
gesture ;  and  the  more  she  dwelt  on  the  idea,  the  more 
she  assured  herself  that  on  this  woman  depended  her 
safety.  From  her  she  could  not  apprehend  lukewarm- 
ness,  and  scorned  to  dream  of  treachery. 

"  Amply,  as  it  appeared,  was  her  trust  rewarded ; 
the  favorite  attendant,  throwing  herself  at  the  feet  of 
her  august  mistress,  thanked  her  with  tears  and  sobs 
for  so  marked  and  honorable  a  proof  of  her  confidence ; 
and  one  which,  as  she  declared,  was  rendered  doubly 
valuable  from  the  circumstance  of  her  having  a  brother 
whose  best  ambition  it  would  be  to  serve  so  illustrious 
a  lady ;  and  who,  being  attached  to  the  police  of  the 
city,  and  in  constant  correspondence  with  its  numerous 
agents,  could  easily  secure  her  escape. 

"  The  princess  had  no  sooner  received  this  assurance, 
than  she  decided  on  leaving  the  palace  at  an  hour  past 
midnight,  by  a  subterraneous  passage  with  which  her 
attendant  was  familiar ;  and  which,  traversing  alike 
the  ancient  vaults  and  the  modern  cellars,  terminated 
beneath  the  foundations  of  a  house  outside  the  city 
walls,  where  a  carriage  was  to  be  in  readiness  to  facili- 
tate her  flight.  Confident  of  the  practicability  of  this 
scheme ;  and,  in  consequence,  no  longer  apprehensive 
of  personal  violence,  Caroline  of  Brunswick- Wolfen- 
buttel,  having  secured  in  a  small  casket  her  gold  and 
diamonds  (the  proceeds  of  whi  ch  would  enable  her  to 
live  in  comfort,  if  not  actually  in  afiluence,  in  another 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  35 

land),  sat  down  with  the  chosen  companion  of  her  pro- 
jected evasion  to  weep  over  the  frightful  death  of  tlie 
ill-fated  youth  whom  she  had  by  her  own  frailty  con- 
signed to  an  early  and  dishonored  grave ;  and  she  was 
still  thus  occupied  when  her  husband  sent  to  inquire  if 
she  could  receive  him  in  her  apartments. 

"  Had  she  consented  to  do  so,  who  can  say  what 
might  have  been  the  result  of  the  interview?  The 
page  was  dead ;  the  princess  was  young,  fascinating, 
and  beautiful ;  and  even  princes  are  mortal.  Tlie  con- 
cession might  at  least  have  saved  her  life;  and  it  is 
probable  that  it  would  have  done  so;  for  wherefore, 
save  to  afford  her  a  last  chance  of  pleading  her  own 
cause,  could  the  injured  husband  be  supposed  to  volun- 
teer so  bitter  a  meeting  ?  It  did  not  take  place,  how- 
ever ;  for,  consulting  only  her  passion,  and  the  pride 
which  she  had  allowed  to  slumber  when  it  might  have 
shielded  her  from  disgrace,  she  refused  the  interview ; 
and,  drawing  her  desk  towards  her,  she  addressed  to 
him  perhaps  the  most  ill-judged  and  dangerous  note 
which  a  woman,  circumstanced  as  she  was  at  that 
moment,  ever  ventured  to  write  to  the  husband  whom 
she  had  dishonored.  That  note  was  communicated  to 
me,  and  I  was  so  much  impressed  by  its  contents  that  I 
can  repeat  them  to  you.     Thus  it  ran : — 

"  'You  have  shed  the  blood  of  an  unfortunate  young 
man,  when  I  alone  was  guilty ;  and  you  will  have  to 
answer  for  his  death  before  God,  as  you  will  also  have 
to  answer  for  mine.  Had  you  any  sense  of  justice  I  might 
accept  you  as  ray  judge,  but  I  know  too  well  that  you 
only  desire  to  become  my  executioner.  We  had  better 
not  meet,  as  I  have  onlymy  curee  to  bequeath  to  you.' 


36  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH   HISTORY. 

"  Convinced  that  her  safety  was  secured,  the  princess 
despatched  this  letter  as  recklessly  as  she  had  written  it ; 
and  I  think  you  will  all  concede  that  it  was  not  calcu- 
lated to  appease  the  irritated  feelings  of  an  offended 
husband ;"  continued  the  Emperor  after  a  pause ;  "and 
thus  the  day  wore  on.  Twilight  deepened,  and  the 
miserable  Caroline,  her  heart  bursting  with  grief,  and 
her  nerves  shaken  by  anxiety,  received  the  ladies  of  her 
household  as  she  was  accustomed  to  do  before  retiring 
for  the  night ;  but  they  had  no  sooner  withdrawn  than, 
trembling  with  impatience,  she  wrapped  herself  closely 
in  one  of  the  wide  and  coarse  cloaks  worn  by  the  female 
peasants  of  Germany  during  the  winter  months,  (in 
which  disguise  she  trusted  that  she  should  be  secure  in 
the  event  of  her  encountering  any  of  the  servants  of  the 
palace)  and  drew  the  heavy  hood  over  her  face. 

^'On  emerging  from  the  ducal  apartments,  accom- 
panied by  her  zealous  attendant,  she  descended  a  back 
staircase ;  and  then  proceeded  along  a  stone  passage, 
which  running  parallel  with  the  offices,  received  its 
only  light  from  the  apertures  perforated  in  its  walls  at 
certain  and  infrequent  intervals,  that  enabled  her  to 
distinguish  the  voices  bf  the  cooks  and  scullions  who 
were,  even  at  that  hour,  preparing  for  the  repast  of  the 
following  day.  So  clearly,  indeed,  did  they  meet  her 
ear,  that  she  might  even  have  overheard  their  conver- 
sation had  she  not  been  absorbed  by  the  engrossing 
nature  of  her  own  situation. 

"  This  first  passage  traversed,  several  others  presented 
themselves,  which  it  was  necessary  either  to  cross  or  to 
pursue ;  but  the  careful  waiting-woman  had  possessed 
herself  by  some  stratagem  of  a  handful   of  keys,  of 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  37 

which  she  made  rapid  and  effective  use ;  until,  in  fitting 
one  of  thera  into  the  lock  of  an  inner  door  that  opposed 
their  progress,  the  whole  of  those  which  she  still  carried 
escaped  her  grasp,  and  were  scattered  upon  the  ground. 
Great  was  the  terror  of  the  fugitives,  as,  with  beating 
pulses,  and  straining  eyes,  they  listened  for  several 
seconds  to  assure  themselves  that  the  noise  of  the  fall 
had  not  excited  any  attention  in  the  offices,  when  con- 
vinced that  it  had  not  been  heard,  they  passed  their 
hands  over  the  sanded  floor  in  every  direction  in  search 
of  their  lost  treasures — treasures  indeed  to  them  at  that 
moment — and  having  at  length  succeeded  in  recover- 
ing them,  they  once  more  hurried  on.  Ere  long,  they 
had  left  the  more  modern  portion  of  the  subterraneans 
behind  them ;  and  found  themselves  in  a  large  and 
lofty  stone  hall,  which,  as  Gemonde  informed  her  royal 
mistress,  terminated  the  original  vaults  of  the  palace. 
Yainly,  however,  did  they  successively  apply  every 
key  they  possessed  to  the  lock  of  the  low-arched  door 
which  opened  at  the  further  extremity  of  this  vast  and 
gloomy  dungeon  ;  not  one  would  open  it ;  and  they  ulti- 
mately became  satisfied  that  it  must  e.^ill  be  lying  near 
the  spot  where  the  others  had  fallen. 

"  The  princess,  who  was  by  this  time  overcome  with 
apprehension  and  fatigue,  declared  herself  utterly 
unable  to  retrace  her  steps  ;  and  her  devoted  attendant 
was  consequently  compelled  to  entreat  that  Her  High- 
ness would  sit  down  and  rest,  while  she  returned  alone 
to  renew  her  search.  The  alternative  was  a  terrible 
one  to  the  delicate  and  carefully-nurtured  victim  of  her 
own  vices  ;  but  there  was  no  escape.  She  must  submit, 
or  prepare  to  die  of  famine  where  she  stood :  unseen, 


88  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

unpitied,  and  unshrived.  *  Go  ;'  she  gasped  out  at  last ; 
*  Go ;  but  do  not  leave  me  long,  Gemonde,  or  I  shall 
become  mad.'  All  was  dark,  and  so  profoundly  still 
about  her,  that  she  could  hear  the  beating  of  her  own 
heart  as  she  bent  forward  to  listen  for  the  return  of  her 
guide.  A  weary  interval  succeeded  ;  the  princess  could 
not  even  guess  at  its  duration ;  but  to  her  it  appeared 
as  though  hours  had  elapsed  since  she  was  left  alone  in 
that  dim  and  dreary  solitude,  without  an  arm  to  sustain, 
or  a  voice  to  comfort  her. 

"  For  awhile  the  pang  at  her  heart  occupied  her 
thoughts ;  and  she  lived  over  again  the  last  hours  of 
horror  which  she  had  passed  in  her  princely  home — 
visibly,  plainly,  she  once  more  saw  before  her  the  dab- 
bled corpse  of  her  heart's  idol ;  and  she  shuddered  as 
the  mangled  mass  appeared  again  to  fall  at  her  feet, 
and  to  share  her  lonely  vigil.  Fortunately  for  her 
reason,  the  spectral  illusion  vanished  after  a  time  ;  and 
then  came  visions  of  the  future,  when  exiled  alike  from 
her  adopted  country  and  the  dignities  which  were  her 
birthright,  she  must  be  content  to  live  in  seclusion,  un- 
honored  and  unknown. 

"  Gradually,  however,  the  past  and  the  future  alike 
failed  to  withdraw  her  attention  from  the  terrors  of  the 
present.  She  could  no  longer  deceive  herself;  hours 
must  indeed  have  elapsed  since  she  was  abandoned  in 
that  living  tomb.  Her  failing  limbs  were  becoming 
unequal  to  support  her  drooping  form  ;  strange  noises 
were  in  her  ears ;  the  damps  of  the  vault  were  cling- 
ing to  her  hair,  and  chilling  her  blood.  Had  her 
attendant  been  discovered  ?  Would  she,  to  save  herself 
from  an  almost  certain  death,  leave  her  to  her  horrible, 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  89 

her  hopeless  fate  ?     Or  worse,  far  worse  than  all,  had 
she  betrayed  her  ? 

"  Maddened  by  the  thought,  the  wretched  woman 
became  unconscious  alike  of  fatigue  and  fear  ;  her  only 
desire  was  to  escape  from  the  terrors  by  which  she 
was  surrounded.  She  felt  as  though  the  roof  of  the 
vault,  spacious  and  lofty  as  it  was,  became  every 
moment  more  heavy  and  more  near,  and  that  the  walls 
were  closing  in  upon  her  on  every  side.  Human  na- 
ture could  passively  endure  no  more.  She  started, 
shrieked,  and  fled.  On  !  on  I  she  must  find  the  narrow 
passage  by  which  she  had  entered  the  subterranean 
where  she  had  so  long  watched  and  waited  ;  the  doors 
had  been  left  unclosed  behind  her,  for  her  flight  had 
been  too  eager  and  too  hurried  for  what  her  attendant 
had  declared  to  be  an  unnecessary  precaution  at  so  late 
an  hour,  as  that  of  her  evasion.  On  !  on  I  tliat  passage 
must  be  found — But  how  ?  Tliere  was  only  one  hope 
of  success ;  and  her  small  ungloved  hand  was  passed 
along  the  rough  and  humid  surface  of  the  masonry  as 
she  followed  up  the  boundary-wall  of  the  vault ;  while 
from  time  to  time  she  stumbled  against  a  loose  stone, 
and  was  compelled  to  pause,  writhing  with  pain,  ere 
she  could  pursue  her  dark  and  dangerous  way. 

'^  Suddenly  she  heard  the  trampling  of  feet  above 
her ;  and  a  gleam  of  light  penetrating  through  a  ven- 
tilator caused  her  to  stand  motionless.  She  had  indeed 
found  her  way  back  to  the  inhabited  portion  of  the 
palace  ;  she  could  again  distinguish,  not  only  voices, 
but  even  words.  Thankful  to  know  herself  once  more 
within  human  reach,  she  instinctively  listened — aye, 
princess   as  she  was — after    enduring  whole  hours  of 


40  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

a  living  death  where  neither  sight  nor  sound  of  her 
fellow-beings  had  been  able  to  reach  her,  she  lis- 
tened—" 

"  But  who  could  know  all  this,  Bonaparte  ?"  asked 
the  Empress,  pale  with  emotion.  "  To  whom  did  she 
tell  all  this  ?" 

"  My  good  Josephine,"  replied  Napoleon,  with  a 
slight  frown  at  the  interruption — "  endeavor  to  place 
yourself  in  her  position  ;  imagine  what  your  own  feel- 
ings would  have  been ;  how  you  would  have  struggled 
to  escape  the  fate  which  awaited  you ;  and  be  satisfied 
that  all  passed  precisely  as  I  have  narrated  it." 

"  Perhaps  so  ;  but  still — " 

"  Buonaparte  will  never  be  able  to  finish  his  story  if 
you  do  not  allow  him  to  tell  it  in  his  own  way,"  said 
Madame  Mere.     "  He  hates  to  be  questioned." 

The  Princess  Pauline  curled  her  beautiful  lip  as  she 
asked  languidly ;  "  Well,  Kapoleone,  what  followed  ?  " 

"  It  followed  ;  as  a  natural  consequence ; "  pursued 
the  Emperor,  only  half  appeased  ;  "  that  she  overheard 
a  conversation,  which  at  once  riveted  her  attention, 
and  overwhelmed  her  with  terror.  *  Only  to  think  how 
soon  all  may  be  over ;'  said  a  man's  voice  which,  rude 
as  it  was,  still  betrayed  deep  regret,  and  sank  to  her 
heart  as  she  leant  her  throbbing  temples  against  the 
stone-work  of  the  vault ;  '  Poor  Princess !  She  was  in 
her  usual  health,  to  all  appearance,  at  dinner-time  this 
very  day ;  and  now  they  say  that  she  is  dying.' 

" '  We  must  all  die,  princes  as  well  as  paupers ;'  was 
the  rejoinder  of  one  of  liis  companions;  ^not  one  of  us  can 
buy  off  his  last  creditor.'  'True  enough;'  remarked  a 
third;    'but,  nevertheless,  this  illness  is  wonderfully 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  41 

sudden.  To  think  tliat  she  bIiouM  have  dined  at  table 
to-day,  and  that  she  should  die  to-night,  is  something 
more  than  one  can  underetand.' " 

"Horrible!"  murmured  Josephine,  covering  her 
eyes  with  her  hand  to  conceal  the  tears  which  she  could 
not  suppress. 

"It  is  needless  to  say,"  continued  the  Emperor, 
"  with  what  frightful  earnestness  the  princess  hung 
upon  their  words.  Still  it  might  not  be  of  her  that 
they  spoke — she  was  not  the  only  princess  in  the  palace 
— there  was  yet  hope  !  That  hope  did  not  long  endure, 
however :  she  heard  rapid  footsteps  hurrying  along  the 
passages,  and  then  a  voice  which  she  recognized  as  that 
of  one  of  her  ushers,  exclaiming  breathlessly  ;  '  I  bring 
you  sorrowful  news — in  a  few  days  we  shall  be  in 
mourning  for  the  Uereditary  Princess.'  '  Who  told  you 
that  all  was 'SO  nearly  over?'  eagerly  inquired  his 
listeners.  '  Geraonde,  Her  Highness's  favorite  woman, 
who  has  scarcely  left  the  bedside  of  her  ill-fated  mis- 
tress. I  met  her  not  ten  minutes  ago,  half  mad  with 
grief.  You  all  know  how  she  loved  the  princess ;  and 
the  sight  of  her  sufferings  had  been  more  than  she  could 
bear.  They  are,  she  says,  so  violent  and  so  acute,  that 
nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can  enable  her  to  endure 
them  for  another  hour.  Every  one  is  up  in  the  palace, 
and  the  citizens  are  abeady  astir  in  the  town.  The 
duke  has  locked  himself  into  his  apartment,  and  refuses 
to  be  seen  by  any  one.  I  only  trust  that  he  may  not 
sink  under  the  blow.' 

"  And  she  still  stood  there  and  listened — she  whose 
last  chance  of  life  had  been  the  good  faith  of  the 
treacherous  follower  by  whom  she  was  thus  betrayed — 


42  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

listened  until  the  voices  hissed  in  her  ears,  and  strange 
lights  danced  before  her  dilated  eyes.  Once  she  strove 
to  shriek  out  an  appeal  for  help,  but  her  parched 
tongue  refused  its  office,  and  she  only  emitted  a  gur- 
gling sob,  which  died  away  in  her  throat.  Paralysed 
by  terror,  she  was  unconscious  of  a  muffled  sound 
which  gradually  approached.  There  were  heavy,  but 
cautious  footfalls  in  the  deep  sand  which  formed  the 
flooring  of  the  vault,  but  she  heard  them  not.  Her 
whole  being  was  absorbed  in  the  conversation  which 
was  still  going  on  beside  her,  although  she  was  no 
longer  able  to  comprehend  its  nature ;  suddenly  she 
felt  hei*self  seized  by  two  robust  arms,  and  dragged 
violently  away  from  the  iron-barred  window  that  con- 
nected the  vault  with  the  kitchens.  Yainly  did  she 
struggle  in  the  grasp  of  her  captors  ;  her  cry  for  assist- 
ance awoke  no  response  as  it  died  away  in  the  depths 
of  the  subterraneans  along  which  she  was  hurried,  in 
dull  and  mocking  echoes.  Without  respect  either  for 
her  sex  or  for  her  rank,  she  was  flung  rudely  to  the 
ground,  and  her  hands  and  feet  secured  with  cords. 
Wildly  she  prayed  for  mercy ;  and  called  upon  her 
family,  and  even  upon  her  husband  to  save  her ;  she 
was  far  removed  from  human  aid.  Yainly  she  sought 
to  bribe  her  tormentors. 

"  '  Take  all — all — '  she  moaned  in  her  agony :  '  here 
are  gold  and  jewels — spare  my  life — I  am  so  young  to 
die!' 

"The  brutal  beings  who  were  now  the  masters  of  her 
fate  vouchsafed  no  reply,  save  by  so  tightening  her 
bonds  that  she  could  not  move  a  limb,  and  finally  forc- 
ing a  gag  into  her  mouth,     lliis  outrage  accomplished. 


AN  EVENING  AT  LA  MALMAISON.  43 

the  lower  part  of  her  body  was  ihrust  into  a  sack  of 
black  velvet,  which  was  fastened  round  her  waist  and 
secured  under  her  feet ;  and  from  that  moment  her 
Maker  alone  could  hear  her  supplications  for  as- 
sistance." 

"What I"  exclaimed  the  Empress  in  an  accent  of 
mingled  horror  and  dismay ;  "  was  that  really  the  fate 
of  the  first  wife  of  the  Elector  of  Wurtemberg  ?  Was 
it  she  whom  the  headsman  of  Strasbourg  was  com- 
pelled to  murder  ?" 

"  Madame  ;"  replied  Napoleon  ;  "  I  am  not  aware 
that  the  name  of  the  Elector  of  Wurtemberg  has  once 
escaped  my  lips  throughout  the  tale  to  which  you  have 
just  listened.  It  is  true  that  rumor  did  connect  it 
with  the  death  of  the  princess  ;  but  the  great  are 
always  calumniated  by  the  envious.  I  therefore  offer 
no  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  Frederic  Wil- 
liam; nor  shall  I  even  permit  myself  to  express  my 
sense  of  the  extent  to  which  such  an  act  of  retribution 
would  have  been  justifiable  or  unjustifiable  on  his  part. 
I  have  merely  been  relating  to  you  a  story  which  was 
not,  as  I  conceived,  without  a  certain  amount  of  interest. 
I  have  given  it  to  you  as  it  was  told  to  me  ;  and  I  need 
not  point  out  its  moral.  But  I  have  unwittingly  per- 
mitted my  tale  to  intrude  too  far  into  the  night,  and  I 
should  regret  to  cause  you  unpleasant  dreams." 

So  saying,  the  Emperor  returned  his  snuff-box  to  his 
pocket ;  kissed  the  forehead  of  his  mother,  according  to 
his  invariable  custom ;  and  before  his  auditors  had 
recovered  from  the  painful  impression  produced  by  the 
dark  page  of  history  which  he  had  spread  before  them, 
he  had  left  the  room. 


44  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN  UNDER  THE  CONSULATE. 

In  May,  1801,  the  Prince  of  Tuscany,  Don  Louis  I., 
wliom  the  First  Consul  had  just  created  King  of  Etruria, 
arrived  in  Paris  with  his  wife,  his  son,  and  a  few  per- 
sons who  had  been  appointed  to  dijfferent  situations  in 
his  household.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  astonishment 
of  the  Parisians  on  ascertaining  that  Bonaparte  should 
have  voluntarily  bestowed  a  crown  upon  a  Bourbon ; 
and  many  were  inclined  to  murmur,  believing  that  so 
inexplicable  a  proceeding  was  the  mere  prelude  to  his 
intention  of  ultimately  replacing  the  rule  of  Prance  in 
the  hands  of  her  legitimate  monarchs,  after  having  so 
long  labored  to  alienate  from  them  the  affections  of  the 
French  people.  His  partisans  were,  however,  in  error ; 
no  such  wild  idea  had,  even  for  an  instant,  traversed 
the  brain  of  the  extraordinary  man  who  had  already 
planted  his  foot  upon  the  first  step  of  their  hereditary 
throne,  and  subsequently  annihilated  all  the  hopes  of 
the  Kepublicans ;  nor  had  a  week  gone  by  before  all 
those  who  had  been  absurd  enough  to  indulge  in  such 
a  fancy,  were  thoroughly  convinced  of  their  error. 

The  First  Consul  had  attained  the  culminating  point 
of  his  power,  if  not  yet  that  of  his  ambition ;  and, 
although  not  himself  a  king,  he  was  a  king-maker. 
His  far-sighted  policy  was  consequently  not  at  fault,  as 


A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN.  45 

his  adherents  had  for  a  moment  believed ;  and  Louis, 
Prince  of  Tuscany,  under  the  modest  title  of  Count  of 
Leghorn,  on  his  way  to  take  possession  of  his  new- 
kingdom,  was  invited  to  make  a  short  sojourn  in  the 
metropolis  of  his  ancestors,  as  the  guest  of  him  by 
whom  their  dynasty  had  been  (as  it  then  appeared) 
definitively  overtlirown. 

A  residence  had  been  secured  for  him  in  the  Hotel 
Montesson,  which  had  latterly  been  occupied  by  the 
Spanish  Ambassador,  where  every  preparation  had 
been  made  to  do  honor  to  the  royal  visitore ;  for  it 
was  no  part  of  the  tactics  of  the  First  Consul  to  excite 
the  sympathies  of  the  disaflfected  by  exhibiting  to  them 
a  Bourbon  subjected  to  neglect  or  indignity,  but  rather 
to  leave  them  free  to  judge  between  himself  and  the 
scion  of  a  family  to  which  many  of  them  still  adhered 
from  habit  and  tradition. 

A  greater  contrast  could  not  effectively  have  been 
afforded  than  that  which  existed  between  the  energetic, 
restless,  eager  spirit  of  Bonaparte,  and  the  indolent, 
supine,  and  pleasure-loving  Louis ;  who,  after  having 
seen  the  Archduchy  of  his  father  wrested  from  him  by 
the  victorious  arms  of  France,  found  it  suddenly  elevat- 
ed into  a  kingdom  by  the  fiat  of  the  First  Consul,  and 
himself  created  its  sovereign  under  the  title  of  King  of 
Etruria.  Shy,  timid,  and  without  either  moral  energy 
or  mental  resources ;  devoted  to  sensual  indulgences, 
and  inordinately  fond  of  money,  he  had  no  trace  of 
royalty  about  him,  save  his  fine  and  distinguished 
appearance  ;  while  even  the  effect  of  his  striking  per- 
son was  marred  by  the  awkwardness  induced  by  his 
utter  want  of  confidence  and  self-possession. 


Or  J 

■^  o  Ki  I  fit.     ^ 


46  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

His  wife,  Maria  Louisa  of  Spain,  the  third  daughter 
of  Carlos  lY.,  was  short,  swarthy,  and  extremely  plain, 
while  her  manners  were  coarse  and  abrupt ;  but  she 
was  kind-hearted,  unaffected,  and  an  admirable  wife 
and  mother.  In  intellect  she  was  far  superior  to  the 
king,  yet  so  wanting  in  tact,  that  her  endeavor  to  con- 
ceal his  deficiencies  only  served  to  render  them  the 
more  conspicuous.  Her  personal  habits  were  peculiar, 
and  in  many  respects  unpleasant  to  those  about  her. 
She  always  made  her  toilette  for  the  day  when  she  rose 
in  the  morning,  and  might  be  seen  as  early  as  seven 
o'clock  walking  in  the  garden  of  the  hotel,  wearing  a 
dress  brocaded  with  gold,  a  diadem  of  brilliants  on  her 
head,  and  her  child  in  her  arms,  her  long  train  sweep- 
ing the  gravelled  paths  unheeded.  As  she  would  not 
suffer  a  nurse  to  tend  the  infant  prince,  it  occasionally 
occurred  that  before  the  close  of  the  day  the  costume 
of  Her  Majesty  had  ceased  to  be  attractive  from  its 
freshness  ;  but,  whenever  any  one  who  was  admitted  to 
her  presence  ventured  to  comment  on  the  fact,  she  con- 
tented herself  by  observing,  that  sunshine  was  the  best 
remedy  for  such  accidents  ;  and  never  could  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  change  any  portion  of  her  dress. 

Despite  their  modest  incognito,  the  newly-fledged 
sovereigns  were  received  and  treated  at  the  Tuileries 
with  all  the  honors  due  to  crowned  heads  ;  but  neither 
ball  nor  banquet  could  put  Louis  at  his  ease  with  his 
formidable  host,  before  whom  he  displayed,  to  his 
wife's  undisguised  annoyance,  a  greater  amount  of 
inanity  than  under  any  other  circumstances.  In  his 
absence  he  affected  to  speak  of  Bonaparte  with  even 
exaggerated   enthusiasm  :  but  he   had   not    sufiicient 


A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN.  47 

self-control  to  conceal  the  lingering  bitterness  induced 
by  the  consciousness  tliat  it  was  to  him  that  he  was 
indebted  for  his  crown. 

It  was,  as  already  stated,  at  the  Hotel  Montesson 
that  the  royal  couple  were  permanently  established 
during  their  sojourn  in  Paris.  This  very  handsome 
ediUce  had  been  built  by  the  Marquise  de  Montesson 
before  the  Revolution,  and  was  connected  with  the 
residence  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans  by  a  conservatory, 
which,  on  her  removal  to  the  latter,  she  had  caused  to 
be  closed.  At  the  request  of  the  king,  it  was,  how- 
ever, again  rendered  available  as  a  means  of  ingress 
and  egress  between  the  two  houses,  and  not  a  day 
passed  in  which  the  families  did  not  spend  many  hours 
in  each  other's  society. 

Madame  de  Montesson  was  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able and  the  most  high-bred  women  of  her  time,  and 
assembled  in  her  salons  all  the  distinguished  indivi- 
duals in  the  capital — returned  emigrants — royalist 
nobles  who  had  remained  in  France,  and  had,  like  her- 
Eelf,  escaped  the  revolutionary  axe — men  in  power, 
who  had  risen  on  the  ruins  of  the  past — scientific,  lite- 
rary, and  artistic  celebrities  ;  and  women  conspicuous 
for  their  wit  or  their  personal  attractions. 

Charlotte  Jeanne  Renaud  de  la  Haye  de  Rion  was 
the  descendant  of  an  ancient  and  illustrious  family  in 
Brittany,  and  was  born  in  Paris  in  1737.  In  1753, 
when  in  the  full  blaze  of  her  extraordinary  beauty,  she 
became  the  wife  of  the  Marquis  de  Montesson,  a 
nobleman  of  great  wealth,  who  was  lieutenant-general 
of  the  royal  army.  Early  left  a  widow,  she  gained  the 
affections  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  who  obtained  the 


48  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

verbal  permission  of  Louis  XY.  to  marry  her,  on  condi- 
tion that  the  marriage  should  not  be  publicly  recognised 
unless  she  became  the  mother  of  a  son.  As  this  event 
did  not  take  place,  she  continued  to  bear  the  name  of 
her  first  husband  ;  but  her  amiability,  her  intellectual 
acquirements,  and  her  perfectly  unsullied  reputation, 
rendered  her  an  object  of  universal  respect. 

She  had  no  sooner  ascertained  that  Louis  XYI.  was 
a  prisoner  in  the  Tuileries,  than  she  solicited  the 
honor  of  being  admitted  to  his  presence  ;  and  the 
unfortunate  monarch,  deeply  affected  by  a  request 
which  was  almost  an  equivalent  to  signing  her  own 
death-warrant,  caused  her  to  be  informed  that  he 
should  receive  her  with  pleasure  as  his  cousin.  She 
was  accordingly  announced  in  the  royal  apartment  as 
the  Dowager-Duchess  of  Orleans,  and  was  invited  to 
play  at  backgammon  with  the  king.  For  this  bold 
and  self-immolating  courtesy  to  fallen  greatness  she 
was  imprisoned  on  a  charge  of  treason  to  the  Eepublic, 
and  remained  a  captive  until  released  by  the  death  of 
Robespierre. 

This  circumstance  rendered  Madame  de  Montesson 
peculiarly  sacred  in  the  eyes  of  the  royalist  nobility, 
who  rallied  round  her  with  a  respect  and  reverence, 
which  the  very  fact  of  her  simplicity  and  absence  of 
pretension  only  tended  to  increase. 

Bonaparte  was  no  sooner  elevated  to  the  Consulate, 
than  he  requested  the  presence  of  the  Marquise  at  the 
Tuileries;  and  as  she  was  announced  he  advanced 
to  the  door  of  the  salon,  welcomed  her  in  the  most  flat- 
tering manner,  and  entreated  her  to  inform  him  if  he 
could  in  any  way  be  of  service  to  her. 


A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN.  49 

"General ;"  ehe  replied  with  quiet  dignity;  "Iliavo 
no  right  to  claim  any  favor  at  your  hands." 

"Pardon  me,  Madame;"  was  the  rejoinder  of  her 
host ;  "  you  have  doubtless  forgotten,  altliough  I  have 
not  done  so,  that  I  received  my  first  crown  from  your 
hands.  You  came  to  Brienne  with  M.  le  Due 
d'Orleans  to  distribute  the  prizes  ;  and  in  placing  upon 
my  head  the  laurel-wreath  which  was  destined  to  pre- 
cede a  few  otliers,  you  said  graciously  ;  '  May  it  be  an 
earnest  of  happiness  !'  Tliey  tell  me  that  I  am  a  fatal- 
ist, Madame,  and  perhaps  I  am  bo  ;  at  all  events,  your 
prayer  was  heard,  and  I  have  never  ceased  to  remem- 
ber that  it  was  uttered.  Suffer  me  to  be  useful  to  you 
if  I  can.  Moreover,  the  refinement  of  high  society  is 
nearly  lost  among  us,  and  I  look  to  you  to  restore  it. 
"We  require  to  fall  back  upon  the  past  in  order  that 
France  may  regain  her  traditional  supremacy  in  all 
that  once  made  her  court  a  model  for  Europe.  Be  kind 
enough  to  afford  to  Madame  Bonaparte  some  hints  for 
her  guidance  ;  and  when  any  foreigners  of  rank  amve 
in  Paris,  to  entertain  them,  in  order  that  they  may  per- 
ceive that  we  can  still  boast  of  the  grace,  wit,  and 
amiability  for  which  we  have,  during  many  centuries, 
been  celebrated :  while  you  must  also  permit  me  to 
restore  to  you  the  annual  pension  of  a  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  francs,  which  you  received  before  the 
Revolution,  as  the  widow  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans." 

Such  was  the  origin  of  the  favor  which  Madame  de 
Montesson  enjoyed  throughout  the  remainder  of  her 
life  ;  and  by  which  she  profited  to  serve  her  friends, 
but  never  to  revenge  herself  upon  her  enemies.  As  she 
had  been  fortunate  enough  to  retain  some  portion  of 

3 


60  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

her  fortune,  the  renewal  of  her  pension  enabled  her  to 
fulfil  the  wishes  of  Bonaparte  in  every  respect ;  for, 
with  an  income  of  upwards  of  two  hundred  thousand 
livres  a-year,  (a  considerable  amount  at  a  period  when 
money  was  so  scarce)  she  found  herself  in  a  position  to 
resume  all  the  habits  of  her  palmy  and  quasi-royal  days. 
She  received  company  every  evening,  but  never  paid 
visits.  Constantly  seated  upon  a  sofa,  with  an  ottoman 
under  her  feet,  which  was  concealed  by  a  satin  coun- 
terpane ;  an  arrangement  which  precluded  the  necessity 
of  her  rising  to  receive  her  guests — an  honor  which  she 
accorded  only  to  Madame  Bonaparte — or  to  conduct 
them  to  the  door  of  the  salon  on  their  departure. 
When,  however,  she  desired  her  visitors  to  imderstand 
that  his  or  her  future  appearance  in  her  circle  was 
declined ;  and  she  was  seen  to  leave  her  seat  as  they 
retired,  it  was  patent  to  all  present  that  thenceforward 
her  door  would  be  closed  against  the  individuals  of 
whom  she  had  so  ceremoniously  taken  leave. 

Such  was  the  neighbor  of  their  Majesties  of  Etruria; 
and  even  the  supine  and  sickly  Louis  was  not  proof 
against  her  fascinating  manners,  her  simple  but  unpre- 
tending demeanor,  and  her  amiability  of  disposition. 
Her  wit,  totally  devoid  of  satire,  did  not  alarm  his  self- 
love  ;  while  himself  a  Bourbon,  he  took  great  delight 
in  listening  to  all  the  family  details  which  the  accom- 
plished widow  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans  had  hoarded  in 
her  heart  of  hearts  ;  and  which  she  seldom  found  an 
opportunity  of  pouring  into  the  ear  of  so  sympathising 
a  listener. 

The  King  of  Etruria  was  naturally  Yery  indolent, 
believing  the  dolce  far  niente  to  be  the  best  privilege 


A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN".  51 

of  princes,  a  weakness  which  greatly  annoyed  the  First 
Consul,  who  loathed  every  species  of  inertness  in  those 
about  him ;  and  who,  on  one  occasion,  animadverted 
very  severely  on  the  supineness  of  the  new  Sovereign 
to  his  colleague  Cambac^r^s. 

"  The  worthy  man ;"  he  remarked  with  a  contemptu- 
ous curl  of  the  lip — and  the  scorn  of  Bonaparte  was 
withering — "does  not  exhibit  much  anxiety  about  his 
dear  and  loyal  subjects.  He  passes  his  time  in  gossip- 
ping  with  old  women,  to  whom  he  affects  to  speak 
highly  of  me,  while,  in  point  of  fact,  he  is  mortified 
that  he  should  owe  a  throne  to  the  detested  French 
Republic.  He  takes  no  interest  in  anything  that  I  can 
discover,  save  riding,  shooting,  dancing,  and  going 
behind  the  scenes  of  a  theatre.  In  short,  he  is  a  poor 
creature  altogether." 

"  Thus  much  is  certain  ;"  replied  Cambaceres,  "  that 
while  he  might  have  made  a  very  respectable  Duke  of 
Parma,  he  will  be  a  very  sorry  King  of  Etruria  ;  and 
it  is  asserted  that  it  was  with  the  intention  of  disgust- 
ing the  French  people  with  royalty  that  you  seated 
this  paltry  puppet  on  a  throne — much  upon  the  same 
principle  that  the  Spartans  disgusted  their  children 
with  excess,  by  exhibiting  to  them  a  drunken  slave." 

"IS'ot  so,  not  so,  my  dear  colleague;"  interposed 
Bonaparte ;  "  I  have  no  wish  to  disgust  them  with 
royalty ;  but  the  visit  of  His  Majesty  the  King  of 
Etruria — a  grand  name,  eh  !  mon  cher^  to  be  borne  by 
so  slender  an  individual  ?  The  visit  of  Don  Louis  will 
not  fail  to  give  a  heart-burn  to  a  great  many  of  the 
good  folks  who  are  endeavoring  to  revive  a  taste  for 
the  Bourbons." 


52  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  But  he  must,  meanwhile,  weary  yourself  and  Ma- 
dame Bonaparte,  wretchedly." 

"  Men  in  power  do  not  expect  to  live  on  rose- 
leaves  ;"  replied  the  Fii*st  Consul,  shrugging  his  shoul- 
ders ;  "  and  I  confess  that  it  amuses  me  to  show  him  to 
the  Parisians.  We  go  to-night,  as  you  know,  to  the 
Theatre  Frangais,  where  he  will,  no  doubt,  fall  asleep 
au  heau  milieu  of  the  sublime  tragedy  of  (Edipe,  to 
the  immense  delectation  of  the  sight-loving  public. 
You  will  be  there  of  course." 

Cambaceres  answered  in  the  affirmative  ;  and  in  the 
evening  the  king  and  the  modern  king-maker  pro- 
ceeded in  the  same  carriage  to  witness  the  tragedy  of 
Corneille  which  had  been  selected  for  the  occasion, 
not  because  it  was  one  of  his  master-pieces,  but  be- 
cause it  contained  several  passages  which  the  astute 
director  of  the  theatre  was  aware  might  be  applied 
with  great  aptness  to  the  First  Consul.  Kor  was  he 
mistaken  in  his  calculations,  for  on  the  utterance  of  the 
line :  "  J^ai  fait  des  souverains,  et  n^ai  pas  vouler 
Fetre,^^  the  applause  throughout  the  house  was  deafen- 
ing. Bonaparte  smiled  and  bowed  ;  and  so  did  Louis 
of  Etruria,  affording  to  the  audience  a  scene  of  as 
broad  farce  as  ever  was  interpolated  into  one  of  the 
marvellous  dramas  of  Shakspere. 

A  few  days  subsequently  the  First  Consul  sent  to 
the  Hotel  Montesson,  as  presents  to  his  royal  protege, 
some  magnificent  carpets  from  the  looms  of  Aubusson 
and  la  Savonnerie,  accompanied  by  a  vase  of  Sevres 
porcelain  valued  at  three  hundred  thousand  francs. 
As  it  was  essential  that  the  vase  should  be  carefully 
mounted  upon  its  pedestal,  twelve  men  were  instructed 


A  BOURBON  SOVEREIGN.  53 

to  place  it  in  the  principal  ealobn  ;  and  their  task  was 
no  sooner  completed  than  a  chamberlain  inquired  of 
His  Majesty  what  he  should  bestow  on  them  for  their 
trouble. 

"  Bestow  on  them  I"  exclaimed  Louis  of  Etruria  ; 
"Notliing;  the  vase  is  a  present  from  the  First 
Consul." 

"  True,  Sire ;"  replied  the  palace  official ;  "  but  in 
such  cases  it  is  customary  to  reward  the  messengers 
to  whom  the  present  is  entrusted." 

"  Then  I  purchase  the  tiling  instead  of  accepting  it ;" 
said  the  young  sovereign ;  "  but  if  such  is  tlie  custom 
in  France  I  suppose  I  must  conform  to  it.  Moreover 
it  is  a  duty  to  encourage  art ;  and  I  should  be  sorry  to 
give  the  Parisians  reason  to  doubt  my  liberality.  Let 
them  have  a  crown  each." 

As  a  matter  of  course  the  offering  was  refused  ;  and 
His  Majesty  became  the  owner  of  the  vase  without 
disbursing  his  three  louis. 

A  series  of  splendid  entertainments  were  offered  to 
the  royal  couple  before  their  departure  for  their  new 
kingdom  by  Madame  de  Montesson,  M.  de  Talleyrand, 
and  other  high  personages,  at  which  they  evidently 
enjoyed  themselves  as  thoroughly  as  though  they  had 
been  mere  simple  individuals;  but  they  were  some- 
what less  interested  by  the  visits  which  they  made  to 
the  public  establishments  of  the  capital.  They  yawned 
at  the  Academie  de  Musique  y  could  not  conceal  their 
weariness  at  the  Institut ;  and  were  only  diverted  for 
an  instant  at  the  Hotel  de  la  Monnaie^  while  a  medal 
was  struck  to  commemorate  their  visit  to  Paris. 

"  Bon .'"  exclaimed  Bonaparte,  as  they  finally  drove 


54  EPISODES  OP  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

off  on  their  way  to  that  Italy  where  they  were  so  coldly 
and  diBtrustfully  welcomed  ;  "I  do  not  think  that  my 
good  Parisians  will  ask  me  for  some  time  to  come  to 
indulge  them  with  another  Bourbon." 


CHAPTEK  rV. 


A   STRAY   DOCUMENT. 


A  SHORT  time  after  Joseph  Bonaparte  became  King  of 

^Naples — said  Count a  very  singular  circumstance 

occurred  to  a  friend  of  mine,  a  young  man  of  high 
family,  who  had  recently  been  appointed  Auditor  of 
State  ;  while  I  considered  the  whole  thing  so  interesting, 
that  I  requested,  him  to  give  me  all  the  details  in  writ- 
ing ;  and  this  he  ultimately  consented  to  do,  although 
not  nntil  after  the  overthrow  of  Napoleon.  My  friend 
is  now  dead ;  and  in  order  to  avoid  all  mistake  or 
misconception,  I  shall  send  you  a  copy  of  the  MS. 
itself. 

"  Prince  Cambaceres,  Arch-Chancellor  of  the  Empire 
— thus  it  ran — was  a  friend  of  my  family,  and  honored 
me  with  his  protection,  which  was  so  valuable  and  so 
unfailing  that  I  shall  never  forget  the  extent  of  the  obli- 
gation which  I  owe  him.  It  was  to  this  clever  states- 
man that  I  was  indebted  for  my  appointment,  and  he 
doubled  its  value  in  my  eyes  by  attaching  me  to  the 
police-ministry  in  order  that  I  might  reside  in  Paris. 


A  STRAY  DOCUMENT.  55 

"  Every  week  I  was  entrusted  with  one  or  more  files  of 
papers  by  the  minister  of  that  department,  which  it  was 
my  duty  to  analyse,  and  to  report  upon  ;  nor  do  I  hesi- 
tate to  confess  tliat  I  took  a  pleasure  in  weakening  as 
much  as  I  dared  to  do  so,  the  acrimony  of  the  accuser, 
and  the  malignant  malice  of  certain  reports  sent  in  by 
the  principal  provincial  magistrates.  I  pitilessly  sup- 
pressed everything  which  I  saw  had  been  dictated  by 
personal  hatred,  and  revengeful  feeling ;  and  it  is  almost 
incredible  how  many  facts  which  needed  only  to  have 
been  simply  stated,  in  order  to  enlighten  the  minis- 
ter on  what  he  desired  to  know,  were  elaborated  and 
distorted  by  the  envious  and  hostile  selfishness  of  those 
by  whom  they  were  furnished. 

"  Rest  assured  that  the  files  of  the  police-ministry  are 
curious  and  useful  studies,  although  it  must  be  admitted 
that  they  do  not  tend  to  increase  the  philanthropy  of 
the  student.  Thus,  as  I  have  already  stated,  at  some 
risk  to  myself,  without  venturing  totally  to  suppress 
information  which  was  essential  to  the  government,  I 
softened  the  harshness  of  certain  expressions,  paralyzed 
the  allegations  of  culpability,  struck  out  malevolent  insi- 
nuations which  were  not  supported*  by  proofs  ;  and  in 
doing  this  I  had  the  sanction  of  my  conscience  that  I 
was  acting  loyally  towards  the  Emperor. 

"  One  day  I  received  a  much  larger  accumulation  of 
papera  than  usual ;  and  for  a  considerable  time,  as  I  v/as 
sorting  them  in  order  to  class  each  under  its  appropriate 
heading,  I  did  not  remark  anything  particularly  inter- 
esting among  them ;  they  contained,  as  was  generally 
the  case,  a  great  deal  of  unmeaning  gossip,  an  immense 
waste  of  words,  no  inconsiderable  amount  of  self-lauda- 


56  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

tion  very  flimsily  disguised,  and  accusations  based  upon 
mere  conjecture. 

"  In  turning  over  these  pages,  foul  with  falsehood  and 
treachery,  however,  my  eye  suddenly  fastened  upon  a 
letter  much  better  written  than  the  rest,  wherein  the 
name  of  Ferdinand  YII.  occurred  more  than  once. 
This  circumstance  awakened  my  curiosity,  and  the 
attention  with  which  I  read  it  throughout  made  me 
acquainted  with  a  tissue  of  horrors. 

"  It  w^as  a  plot  proposed  by  a  minister  of  religion, 
and  written  by  his  own  hand,  in  which  he  placed  that 
hand,  armed  w^th  a  dagger,  at  the  disposal  of  Fouche 
for  a  stipulated  sum  ;  and  the  victim  was  to  have  been 
Ferdinand  YIL,  who  was  then  a  prisoner  at  Yalengay. 

"  In  the  whole  course  of  my  career  I  had  never  read 
a  better  digested  document,  or  met  with  a  plan  more 
skilfully  combined ;  the  assassin  had  foreseen  every- 
thing ;  and  his  batteries  were  so  well  directed  that  in 
the  event  of  failure,  or  even  had  he  been  actually  taken 
in  the  fact,  he  would  have  been  the  bearer  of  papers 
which  must  have  thrown  all  the  odium  of  the  murder 
upon  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

"  As  I  slowly  proceeded  in  the  perusal  of  this  in- 
fernal machination,  I  was  overcome  by  indignation, 
not  unmixed  with  alarm ;  and  I  began  seriously  to 
reflect  upon  the  delicacy  of  my  position.  Several 
questions  arose  simultaneously  in  my  mind.  I  asked 
myself  if  a  document  of  this  nature  did  not  appertain 
exclusively  to  the  reserved  portfolio  of  the  minister 
himself;  and  how  so  important  a  letter  could  have 
found  its  way  into  the  mass  of  insignificant  papers 
among  which  it  had  fallen  into  my  hands.     Could  it 


A  STRAY  DOCUMENT.  67 

have  been  by  mistake ;  or  was  it  only  to  test  my  trust- 
wortliiness  ?  In  the  first  case  it  would  assnredly  be  re- 
claimed ;  while  in  the  second  I  should  be  expected  to 
restore  it ;  and  in  either  event  I  should  be  the  victim 
of  the  most  odious  investigations;  so  that  after  mature 
deliberation,  convinced  that  my  whole  future  career, 
and  even  my  personal  liberty  would  be  compromised 
by  the  mere  fact  of  its  having  been  avowedly  in  my 
possession,  I  determined  to  suppress  it.  I  acknowledge 
that  my  hand  trembled  as  I  withdrew  the  murderous 
document  from  the  file ;  but  the  more  I  reflected,  the 
more  satisfied  I  felt  that,  in  order  to  preserve  myself,  I 
had  no  other  alternative.  If  it  has  been  delivered  to 
me  by  mistake,  I  mentally  argued,  no  proof  can  be  ad- 
duced that  it  ever  reached  me ;  while  if,  on  the  con- 
trary, it  was  sent  merely  to  try  me,  they  will  give  me 
credit  for  my  perspicacity  in  having  avoided  the  snare ; 
and  if  the  intention  really  was  to  efi'ect  my  ruin,  when 
once  the  odious  document  is  destroyed  there  will  be 
nothing  upon  which  to  base  an  accusation. 

"  These  reflections  strengthened  my  resolution ;  while 
at  the  same  time  I  determined  to  profit  by  the  dis- 
covery which  I  had  made  of  the  fatal  secret,  and  to 
warn  the  prince  that  his  life  was  in  danger.  On  the 
other  hand,  I  felt  that  the  letter  must  be  at  once 
destroyed,  while  I  ought,  nevertheless,  carefully  to  pre- 
serve its  contents ;  for  which  purpose,  I  adopted  the 
two  following  expedients. 

"  Being  gifted  with  so  tenacious  a  memory  that  I  have 
on  several  occasions  been  enabled  to  retain  the  most 
minute  details  of  a  discussion  in  the  Council  of  State,  I 
twice  read  over  the  wretch's  letter  to  Fouche,  and  I 

3* 


58  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTORY. 

then  copied  it  from  recollection  without 'tlie  error  of  a 
single  word ;  but  as  1  could  not  retain  the  transcript 
with  any  more  safety  than  I  might  have  done  the 
original  document  itself,  I  set  to  work  to  invent  a 
cypher  of  my  own.  Having  accomplished  this,  I  took 
from  the  lower  slielf  of  my  library  the  five  thick 
volumes  of  the  encyclopedia,  and  on  each  page  I  made 
a  dot  over  the  letters  corresponding  with  those  of  the 
document,  being  careful  not  to  mark  more  than  one  or 
two  on  each  page ;  and  I  have  ever  since  carefully  pre- 
served the  work  without  ever  having  felt  the  least  mis- 
giving that  my  secret  would  be  discovered. 

"  When  I  had  taken  these  precautions  I  folded  both 
the  letter  and  the  copy  in  a  cambric  handkerchief,  and 
burnt  the  whole  together ;  after  which  I  collected  the 
ashes,  and  poured  over  them  about  a  quart  of  boiling 
water,  which  they  scarcely  colored,  and  then  threw  the 
contents  of  the  basin  out  of  the  window. 

"  Having  done  this,  I  thoroughly  recovered  my  com- 
posure, for  I  will  not  attempt  to  deny  that  I  had  been 
nervously  anxious  throughout  the  whole  operation.  1 
trembled  and  shuddered  at  the  slightest  noise ;  the 
accidental  ringing  of  the  bell  in  my  ante-room  posi- 
tively electrified  me,  and  I  apprehended  nothing  less 
than  that  the  agents  of  Fouche  had  come  to  apprehend 
me.  These  are  terrors,  waking  nightmares,  which  it  is 
impossible  to  describe,  and  at  which  their  victim  is  the 
first  to  laugh  when  the  danger  is  gone  by. 

"I  nevertheless  awaited  with  considerable  anxiety 
the  arrival  of  the  day  on  which  I  was  to  give  in  my 
reports,  and  to  restore  the  papers  ;  while  I  did  not  dare 
to  anticipate  it,  as  by  so  doing  I  might  only  be  hasten- 


I  A  STRAY  DOCUMENT.  59 

ing  the  period  of  my  own  trial ;  and  when  the  eventful 
hour  came  at  hist,  I  affected  an  ease  and  indifference 
which  I  decidedly  was  very  far  from  feeling.  Nothing, 
however,  occurred  to  disturb  my  equanimity ;  the 
Official  authorised  to  receive  the  produce  of  my  labor, 
greeted  me  as  cordially  as  usual ;  and  having  delivered 
up  my  trust,  I  returned  home  witliout  let  or  hindrance. 

"  Tins  affair  has  always  remained  an  enigma  to  me. 
How  could  the  letter  of  the  assassin  have  been  mislaid 
when  such  jealous  care  was  taken  in  the  classification 
of  papers  during  the  Empire  ?  Tlie  circumstance  was 
perfectly  incomprehensible.  Was  it  by  mere  chance 
that  it  had  found  its  way  into  the  very  portfolio  which 
was  destined  for  me  ?  I  am  still  unable  to  answer. 
All  I  know  is  that  had  such  a  plot  been  placed  before 
the  eyes  of  the  Emperor,  he  would  have  rejected  it 
with  indignation  ;  and  what  I  moreover  know  is  that, 
to  my  great  satisfaction,  I  never  once  heard  the  subject 
mentioned. 

"  My  next  undertaking  was  to  attempt  to  warn  the 
intended  victim  of  the  danger  by  which  he  was 
menaced  ;  and  I  must  now  tell  you  how  I  endeavored 
to  combine  what  I  regarded  as  the  duty  of  an  honest 
man  and  a  Christian,  with  the  prudence  which  my 
position  imperatively  required. 

"  During  the  course  of  a  man's  life  there  are  occa- 
sionally ideas  by  which  he  becomes  morbidly  absorbed ; 
and  periods  when  he  morally  elevates  himself  into  a 
hero,  and  resolves  to  overcome  difficulties  by  the  mere 
strength  of  his  own  will.  My  one  idea  for  the  time 
being  was  to  save  Ferdinand  YII. ;  and  while  specu- 
lating on  the  most  probable  means  of  intercourse  with 


60  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTOEY. 

him,  even  througli  the  medium  of  a  third  person,  and 
without  the  slightest  probability  of  his  ever  being 
made  aware  whose  hand  it  was  which  was  outstretched 
to  ward  off  the  blow  of  the  assassin,  I  felt  the  greatest 
exultation  as  I  remembered  that  the  latter  was  not  my 
countryman.  Of  this  the  signature  of  the  letter  had  at 
once  convinced  me,  as  the  bravo  had  subscribed  him- 
self Pedro  Munios.     Its  date  was  July  the  11th,  1808. 

"  I  was  compelled  to  feel  my  way  carefully  through 
the  dangerous  labyrinth  before  me.  It  would  have 
been  worse  than  rash — it  would  have  been  utter  mad- 
ness— to  have  hazarded  any  direct  communication  with 
the  captive  monarch ;  and  I  consequently  determined 
to  reach  him  in  some  round-about  manner,  as  I  felt  I 
should  assuredly  fail  were  I  to  be  inconsiderate  enough 
to  draw  upon  myself  the  suspicions  of  the  police  who 
surrounded  Yalen9ay. 

"  While  I  was  a  prey  to  these  perplexities,  a  light 
suddenly  broke  upon  me,  and  I  felt  satisfied  that  I  had 
found  a  guide. 

"  I  remembered  that  the  department  of  the  Belles- 
Lettres  of  the  Institute,  numbered  among  its  members 
one  of  those  uncommon  men,  in  whom  it  was  possible 
to  place  the  most  implicit  confidence  ;  a  man  w^ho 
would  have  done  honor  to  Home  in  her  most  palmy 
days ;  and  whose  intellect  would  have  acquired  for  him 
the  right  of  citizenship  at  Athens  in  the  time  of  Peri- 
cles and  Alcibiades.  This  remarkable  individual  was 
Cailhava,^  who  carried  his  modesty  to  a  pitch  which 

*  Jean  rran9Qis  Cailhava,  a  dramatic  author,  born  in  the  village  of 
L'Extentrus,  near  Toulouse,  in  1731,  wrote  a  great  number  of  comedies 
for  the  Frangais  and  the  Theatre  Italien,  nearly  tl^e  whole  of  which  wer§ 


A  STRAY  DOCUMENT.  61 

was  almost  absurd  ;  never  appearing  conscious  of  his 
repeated  and  legitimate  successes  as  a  dramatic  writer, 
and  decidedly  less  aware  than  his  readers  that  his  Art 
de  la  CoinedU  was  a  monument  of  good  taste  and 
ingenious  criticism. 

"  Cailhava  was  the  very  man  for  my  purpose.  I 
knew  that  he  was  perfectly  familiar  with  the  Spanish 
language,  and  that  he  was  in  ill  odor  with  Napoleon ; 
and  I  therefore  at  once  comprehended  that  he  must 
have  many  acquaintances  among  the  Spaniards  then 
resident  in  Paris,  and  it  was  more  than  probable  even 
with  some  members  of  tlie  insurrectionary  faction,  and 
the  faithful  adherents  of  Ferdinand  YII. 

"Another  difficulty  then  presented  itself.  How 
should  I  get  at  Cailhava,  with  whom  I  was  very 
slightly  acquainted,  and  who,  in  all  probability,  did  not 
know  me  at  all  ?  We  had  occasionally  met,  it  is  true, 
in  the  saloons  of  tlie  Countess  Potaska  and  the  Count 
d'Escherny,  but  we  had  never  been  made  known  to 
each  other.  Circumstances  did  not  permit  me  to  be 
hyperfastidious,  however ;  and  I  determined  to  request 
of  the  latter  that  he  would  procure  for  me  a  private 
interview  with  the  Academician. 

"  The  Count  d'Escherny  was  by  birth  a  Swiss,  and 
by  principle  a  great  partisan  of  Rousseau.  Infinitely 
too  well-bred  to  inquire  the  reason  of  what  he  must 
have  considered  as  an  extraordinary  whim  on  my  part, 
he  simply  and  courteously  acceded  to  my  wish  without 

imitated  from  the  Italian.  The  moat  popular  among  them  was  "The 
Tutor  Duped,  or  the  House  with  two  Doors."  Besides  other  works  he  left 
at  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Paris,  in  1813,  his  ^' Art  de  la  Comedi^'' 
and  his  personal  memoirs  in  MS. 


62  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

the  slightest  remark,  promising  to  inform  M.  Cailhava 
of  mj  desire  to  make  his  acquaintance.  A  few  days 
subsequently  I  received  a  note  from  the  Count  appoint- 
ing three  o'clock  for  my  visit,  and  telling  me  that  I 
should  find  the  person  I  wished  to  meet  in  his  drawing- 
room. 

"  Overjoyed  at  my  prompt  success  I  hastened  to  the 
interview,  and  was  followed  in  a  few  minutes  by  M. 
Cailhava ;  to  w^hom,  confident  as  I  felt  in  his  honor,  I 
frankly  related  the  cause  which  had  induced  me  to 
intrude  upon  his  kindness. 

"  For  an  instant  he  made  no  reply,  but  appeared  to 
be  lost  in  thought;  and  during  this  short  pause  my 
anxiety  w^as  intense.  Fortunately,  however,  it  was  not 
of  long  duration. 

"  '  Sir,'  he  said  gravely ;  *  I  thank  you  for  the  good 
opinion  which  you  have  of  me ;  I  am  proud  of  being 
considered  worthy  of  such  trust.  Yes,  I  can  convey  to 
the  king  the  information  by  w^liich  he  may  save  his 
life ;  but  it  must  only  be  on  one  condition.' 

"  '  Name  it,'  I  exclaimed  eagerly. 

"  '  This  it  is  then,'  was  his  reply ;  ^  that  you  will  not 
ask  me,  nor  attempt  in  any  other  way  to  ascertain,  the 
name  of  the  individual  whom  I  shall  entrust  w^ith  your 
message.  I  will  not  consent  to  expose  either  him  or 
myself  to  danger.  Towards  my  friend  it  w^ould  be  foul 
treachery ;  while,  in  my  own  case,  I  have  a  child  w^ho 
would  be  cast  helpless  on  the  world,  were  I  to  incur 
the  anger  of  the  Emperor.' 

"  I  readily  gave  the  pledge  that  he  required ;  and  I 
then  placed  in  his  hands  a  copy  of  the  letter  which  I 
had  made  that  morning  in  a  disguised  hand,  and  with 


A  STRAY  DOCUMEXT.  63 

both  paper  and  ink  which  I  had  procured  for  the  ex- 
press purpose.  It  was  arranged  between  us  that  wo 
should  not  appear  to  recognise  each  other  whenever 
wo  might  chance  to  meet ;  and  we  finally  separated, 
after  he  had  promised  to  communicate  to  me  the  result 
of  our  attempt. 

"  Months  wore  on  after  my  interview  with  Cailhava, 
without  my  having  received  any  intelligence  on  the 
subject,  and  I  had  long  ceased  altogether  to  speculate 
upon  tlie  alfair,  when  one  morning  my  servant  entered 
my  room  at  an  unusually  early  hour,  and  informed  me 
that  a  young  man,  who  was  a  stranger  to  him,  desired 
to  see  me  on  business.  I  directed  that  he  should  be 
admitted ;  and  at  the  first  glance  I  detected  that  he 
was  a  Spaniard,  not  so  much  by  his  black  eyes  and 
bronzed  complexion,  as  by  the  guarded  and  mysterious 
expression  of  his  physiognomy.  It  was  quite  unneces- 
sary for  him  to  tell  me  that  he  wished  to  speak  to  me 
without  witnesses ;  and  Baptiste  had  no  sooner  closed 
the  door  behind  him  than  he  advanced  to  the  side  of 
the  bed,  and  said  in  a  low  voice  : — 

"  ^He  greets  you ;  he  thanks  you ;  through  your  means 
he  can  still  pray  for  his  enemies,  and  for  your  preserva- 
tion. If  the  Holy  Virgin  should  ever  permit  him  to 
return  to  Spain,  he  will  remember  what  you  have  done 
for  him.' 

"  I  readily  understood,  as  you  may  imagine,  the  whole 
bearing  of  this  mysterious  announcement ;  but  I  confess 
that  I  felt  some  surprise  when  my  visitor  hurried  from 
the  room  without  awaiting  a  reply.  I  neither  saw  nor 
heard  of  him  afterwards ;  nor  did  I,  as  you  may  believe, 
trouble  myself  further  about  the  matter.    The  excellent 


64  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

M.  Cailliava  died  in  1813  ;  and  I  am  sorry  to  be  com- 
pelled to  say  that  when,  in  the  following  year,  Ferdi- 
nand YII.  once  more  took  possession  of  his  throne,  he 
appeared  to  have  entirely  forgotten  the  somewhat  quix- 
otic act  of  devotion  which  enabled  him  to  do  so  ;  and 
that,  moreover,  when  one  of  his  own  nobles  alluded  to 
the  subject,  he  coldly  ordered  him  never  again  to  men- 
tion the  circumstance  in  his  presence." 

Ingratitude  is  a  royal  fruit,  which  ripens  too  often 
under  the  shadow  of  a  crown. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


A  CONSPIRACY. 


"  In  the  year  1807," — said  the  Marquis ,  "  as  you 

wish  me  to  furnish  you  with  an  authentic  tradition  of 
the  Empire — I  must  tell  you  that  I  was  passionately 
enamored  of  a  very  beautiful  and  very  accomplished 
woman,  about  whose  antecedents,  however,  I  knew 
nothing.  I  had  met  her  in  some  of  the  best  houses  in 
Paris,  where  she  was  courted  and  caressed  ;  and  I  was 
perfectly  willing  to  believe  that  such  would  not  have 
been  the  case  had  those  by  whom  she  had  been  intro- 
duced into  such  circles,  not  been  thoroughly  convinced 
of  her  perfect  eligibility  to  move  in  them.  Still  one 
thing  perplexed  and  annoyed  me  more  than  I  can 
express ;   and  that  was  the   overwhelming  influence 


A  CONSPIRACY.  65 

"which  she  possessed  with  the  police-ministers,  who 
never  refused  any  request  wliich  she  made  of  them. 
When  I  became  aware  of  this  fact  I  was  half-determined 
to  break  with  her;  but,  led  away  by  a  passion  with 
which  reason  and  prudence  were  unable  to  cope,  I  made 
up  my  mind  that  it  was  simply  the  effect  of  accident, 
or  the  natural  result  of  that  fascination  which  had  proved 
so  powerful  in  my  own  case. 

"Be  that  as  it  may,  however,  it  was  through  her 
means  that  I  became  acquainted  with  some  curious  facts 
relative  to  the  conspiracy  against  the  Prince  of  the 
Asturias. 

"  I  one  day  went  to  pay  her  a  visit  when  I  was  per- 
fectly unexpected ;  and  I  at  once  discovered  that  my 
presence  was  extremely  irksome  to  her.  Tliis  convic- 
tion instantly  inflamed  my  jealousy  ;  1  believed  that  she 
had  some  other  suitor ;  and  from  entreaties  I  proceeded 
to  reproaches.  She  bore  my  violence  with  composure, 
although  she  evidently  considered  it  both  discourteous 
and  unjust ;  and  when  I  paused  to  take  breath,  she  ex- 
tended her  hand,  and  said  gravely : — 

"  *  You  are  jealous.  Marquis,  and  you  have  no  cause 
to  be  so,  though  I  frankly  confess  that  you  are  here  at  a 
most  unfortunate  moment.  It  is  on  no  love-meeting 
that  you  intrude,  but  a  serious  diplomatic  intrigue. 
Fouche  has  requested  me  to  lend  him  my  boudoir  for 
an  hour,  in  order  that  he  may  have  an  interview  with  a 
foreigner  without  any  fear  of  spies.  That  is  the  simple 
fact.' 

"  I  was  by  no  means  satisfied  with  this  explanation, 
and  I  told  her  so. 

" '  Well ;'  she  said  somewhat  angrily ;  *  as  you  appear 


6Q  EPISODES  OF  FBENCH  HISTORY. 

resolved  to  listen  to  your  own  suspicions,  and  have  no 
care  for  my  safety  or  reputation,  I  will  run  the  risk 
of  compelling  you  to  blush  at  your  own  folly ;  but  we 
have  not  a  moment  to  spare.  The  minister  and  his 
companion  will  be  here  immediately;  go  into  this 
closet  where  you  can  hear  all  that  passes,  and  I  will 
lock  you  in.  Do  not  attempt  to  obtain  a  sight  of  the 
stranger ;  as,  should  you  do  so,  you  will  scarcely  escape 
being  seen  yourself ;  and  then  both  you  and  I  would,  in 
all  probability,  end  our  days  at  Yincennes  or  Pierre-en- 
Cise  ;  a  fate  which  to  me  would,  I  confess,  be  peculiarly 
unpleasant.' 

"Surprised  by  her  firmness,  and  divided  between 
curiosity  and  mistrust,  I  hesitated  for  a  moment ;  but 
curiosity  conquered;  or,  rather,  I  may  say,  in  justice 
to  myself,  the  desire  of  becoming  convinced  that  I  had 
wronged  the  woman  upon  whom,  at  that  period,  my 
whole  happiness  depended.  I  accordingly,  with  a 
grimace  or  two,  walked  into  the  closet,  which  had  a 
glazed  door  with  curtains  both  within  and  without  of 

tapestry-work;    and,    after   Madame   de    C had 

turned  the  key  upon  me,  I  threw  myself  into  an 
arm-chair,  where  I  awaited  in  considerable  agitation 
the  event  that  was  to  follow. 

"  My  suspense  did  not  last  long ;  I  heard  a  carriage 
drive  into  the  court-yard,  rapid  steps  upon  the  stairs, 
and,  finally,  the  voice  of  the  Duke  d'Otranto,  inquir- 
ing if  all  the  necessary  precautions  had  been  taken  ; 
and  if  my  fair  friend  would  guarantee  that  neither  in 
the  house  itself,  nor  its  immediate  neighborhood,  any 
curious  eyes  were  to  be  dreaded. 

"The  coolness  with    which  she    answered  in  the 


A  CONSPIRACY.  67 

aflSrmativo  rather  shook  my  confidence  in  her  veracity 
and  good  faith  ;  for  the  falsehood,  premeditated  as  it 
was,  did  not  appear  to  cost  her  the  slightest  com- 
punction. 

"*  Where  does  this  door  lead  to?' inquired  Fouch6, 
alluding  to  that  of  the  closet  in  which  I  was  concealed. 

" '  It  is  the  door  of  my  garde-rohe^  in  which  are  hang- 
ing half-a-dozen  dresses  that  do  no  discredit  to  the  Pari- 
sian modistes ;'  was  tlie  reply  ;  *  would  you  like  to  look 
at  them  r 

"  A  cold  perspiration  inundated  my  forehead  at  this 
proposition ;  I  could  hear  the  police-minister  walk  for- 
ward a  step  or  two,  and  I  believed  myself  to  be  a  lost 
man  ;  but  it  is  probable  that  the  perfect  self-possession 
of  his  hostess  satisfied  him  that  there  was  nothing  to  bo 
feared  ;  for  replying :  '  No ;  no  ;  there  is  no  disputing 
your  taste  ;  and  my  visitor  must  not  find  me  discussing 
the  merits  of  flounces  and  furbelows ' — he  seated  him- 
self, and  began  to  express  his  thanks  to  the  lady  for  her 
kindness  in  having  acceded  to  his  request ;  assuring  her 
that  the  interview  which  was  about  to  take  place  under 
her  auspices  could  not  fail  to  produce  very  important 
results. 

"  A  second  carriage  drove  up. 

" '  Here  comes  my  man ;'  said  Fouche ;  *  be  good 
enough  to  meet  him  and  to  conduct  him  here  yourself.' 

"  Madame  de  C was  quite  ignorant  of  the  iden- 
tity of  the  personage  to  whom  she  was  about  to  enact 
the  usher,  and  had  left  it  to  my  penetration  to  solve 
the  mystery ;  in  which,  however,  as  the  use  of  my  eyess 
was  forbidden  to  me,  I  had  little  hope  that  I  should 
succeed. 


68  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTORY. 

"  He  entered  the  room,  and  he  had  no  sooner  spoken 
than  I  became  convinced  that  his  voice  was  familiar  to 
me  ;  nor  was  I  mistaken,  as  I  subsequently  ascertained 
that  the  conspirator  was  Don  Isquiero,  the  envoy  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace  to  Paris,  and  his  most  zealous  parti- 
zan.  I  had  met  him  at  the  houses  of  the  Prince  of  Mas- 
serano  and  M.  Mercy  D'Argenteau,  to  whom  he  had 
brought  letters  of  introduction ;  and  his  shrill  thin  voice 
had  made  so  disagreeable  an  impression  on  my  ear 
that  I  recognised  it  at  once. 

"  The  conversation  soon  became  interesting.  Fouche 
first  inquired  what  proof  Godoy  could  give  of  his  abso- 
lute power  in  Spain  ;  and  by  what  means  he  could  oifer 
to  the  Emperor  satisfactory  pledges  of  a  definitive  rup- 
ture with  the  Prince  of  the  Asturias. 

"  Isquiero  commenced  by  eluding  this  question,  being 
evidently  reluctant  to  return  a  positive  answer ;  but 
Fouche  was  not  a  man  to  be  duped,  and  he  at  once 
abruptly  repeated  his  inquiry ;  upon  which  the  cunning 
Spaniard,  who  found  himself  in  the  toils,  began  to  say 
that  his  master  (Don  Godoy)  had  no  more  earnest  wish 
than  that  of  convincing  the  great  Napoleon  of  his  good 
faith,  of  which  he  was  prepared  to  furnish  the  most 
imdeniable  proofs. 

"  ^  But,'  he  asked  in  his  turn, '  is  your  sovereign  equally 
sincere  towards  my  master  ?  Is  he  concealing  nothing 
from  him  which  for  their  common  interest  he  ought  to 
reveal  ? ' 

"  '  The  Emperor,'  observed  Fouche  with  equal  ambi- 
guity, '  does  not  possess  a  single  document  which  can 
be  serviceable  to  him.' 

" '  Oh !    pardon  me,'  said  the  emissary  of  Godoy 


A  CONSPIRACY.  69 

jocosely ;  *  wo  know,  beyond  all  possibility  of  doubt, 
that  the  Infant  has  written  to  the  Emperor,  and  that  he 
has  even  proposed  an  alliance  with  him.  If  his  Impe- 
rial Majesty  will  deliver  up  this  docnment  to  my  mas- 
tor,  it  will  no  sooner  be  in  his  posseesion  than  he  will 
be  powerful  enough  to  arrest  the  Infant  on  a  charge  of 
high  treason.' 

" '  Do  you  raally  mean  to  say  that  he  would  venture 
to  do  so  ? '  exclaimed  Fouche  in  a  tone  of  surprise. 

" '  I  do,  your  Excellency ;  and  also  that  he  could  do 
much  more.' 

"'AVliatmay  tbatbe?' 

"  *  All  that  His  Majesty  tlie  Emperor  may  require  ot 
him.' 

"'A  second  Don  Carlos!'  muttered  Fouche,  in  so 
low  a  voice  that  I  scarcely  heard  the  words ;  and  it  is 
probable  that  Isquiero  answered  by  a  smile,  for  he 
assuredly  made  no  verbal  reply. 

"There  was  a  temporary  silence,  during  which  I 
shuddered  with  apprehension  and  terror,  for  I  under- 
stood my  peril  should  I  be  surprised  listening  to  such 
a  conversation ;  and  on  the  other  hand  I  felt  the  most 
painful  sympathy  for  a  young  prince  whom  I  believed 
to  be  innocent  of  all  crime,  and  who  I  saw  about  to  fall 
into  a  treacherous  snare. 

"  It  was  Fouche  who  resumed  :  *  Well,  monsieur,'  he 
said  calmly  ;  ^  if  that  letter  can  produce  such  a  result, 
which  certainly  must  raise  an  eternal  barrier  between 
your  master  and  the  Infant,  it  shall  be  delivered  to  you, 
for  it  is  true  that  we  possess  it.  M.  de  Beauharnais, 
the  French  Ambassador  at  Madrid,  has  transmitted  to 
the  Emperor  an  autograph  letter  of  His  K6yal  High- 


70  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

ness  the  Prince  of  the  Asturias,  in  which  he  has 
requested  His  Imperial  Majesty  to  select  a  wife  for 
him  in  his  august  family ;  and  has  also  expressed  great 
alarm  lest  his  application  should  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  Don  Godoy.' 

"That  Isquiero  w^as  breathless  with  exultation  at 
the  words  of  Fouche  was  evident,  for  although  he  cer- 
tainly struggled  to  suppress  them,  three  or  four  low 
sobs  escaped  him ;  and  when  the  Police-Minister  had 
concluded  his  revelation,  the  wily  Spaniard  led  the  con- 
versation towards  the  project  of  a  treaty,  the  aim  of 
which  was  to  send  Charles  lY.  to  America,  on  condi- 
tion that  the  Principality  of  the  Algarves  was  to  be 
ceeded  to  the  Prince  of  Peace ;  who  would,  when  this 
cession  had  been  accomplished,  place  himself  entirely  at 
the  discretion  of  the  Emperor. 

"  These  subjects  and  many  others  were  successively 
discussed ;  and  it  was  placed  beyond  all  doubt  that  day 
that  the  royal  family  of  Spain  was  betrayed.  But  by 
whom  ?  That  is  a  question  that  I  cannot  answer.  Had 
Godoy  authorised  his  agent  to  make  these  important 
promises?  Was  not  Isquiero,  who  had  sold  himself 
body  and  soul  to  the  interests  of  Napoleon,  exceeding 
his  instructions  ?  In  one  word,  was  the  Prince  of 
Peace  innocent  or  guilty  ? 

"  Who  shall  say  ? 

"  Tliis  much,  at  least,  is  certain — that  the  cabinet  of 
Madrid  received  information  of  the  letter  written  to 
Napoleon ;  the  original  sketch  having  been  found  ^ 
among  the  papers  of  the  Prince  of  the  Asturias,  who  was 
arrested  in  consequence  of  this  imprudence,  and  another 
of  equal  importance,  in  which  he  had  argued  in  writing. 


A  CONSPIRACY.  71 

upon  the  measures  which  it  would  be  expedient  to  adopt 
in  case  tliat  his  sovereign  lord  and  father  should  die  be- 
fore himself,  as  in  the  common  course  of  nature  might 
bo  anticipated. 

"The  two  proxies  at  length  separated,  after  having 
made  a  new  appointment  for  a  future  day,  and  in 
another  place ;  while  I  was  so  exhausted  by  fatigue  and 
alarm,  that  I  did  not  even  rise  from  my  seat  until 

Madame  de  C ,  after  their  departure,  came  to  set 

me  at  liberty ;  when,  as  some  compensation  for  the 
mental  suffering  that  I  had  undergone,  I  reproached 
her  bitterly  for  having  offered  to  allow  Fouche  to  enter 
the  closet,  knowing  as  she  must  do  that  my  life  would 
not  have  been  safe  in  the  event  of  discovery. 

"*  You  take  a  wrong  view  of  the  case ;'  she  said  with 
all  the  composure  of  a  diplomatist; — *If  the  Police- 
Minister  had  detected  you,  I  could  never  have  been 
suspected,  since  I  offered  to  open  the  closet;  but  I 
exaggerated  my  fears  in  order  to  make  you  more  pru- 
dent. As  to  youi-self,  as  every  one  knows  that  you 
profess  to  love  me,  and  could  not  have  the  slightest 
notion  of  this  political  intrigue,  it  would  have  been  sup- 
posed that  you  were  jealous, 'and  had  concealed  your- 
self to  watch  me.  Kemember,  moreover,  that  when  1 
offered  the  key  of  the  closet  to  Fouche,  the  Spaniard 
had  not  yet  made  his  appearance ;  so  that  you  would 
have  been  well  laughed  at,  and  there  would  have  been 
an  end  of  the  matter.' 

"  I  did  not  agree  with  her  at  the  time  ;  and  I  am  still 
convinced  that  had  Fouche  discovered  me  in  my  hiding- 
place,  even  had  he  not  considered  it  expedient  to  treat 
the  affair  seriously  he  would  have  nevertheless  consi- 


72  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

dered  mj  presence  at  that  particular  moment  more 
than  equivocal  in  its  tendency ;  and  such  a  suspicion 
once  engendered  in  the  mind  of  the  Duke  d'Otranto  was 
tantamount  to  condemnation. 

"  I  felt  angry  and  irritated  with  Madame  de  C 

for  having,  as  I  declared,  unnecessarily  placed  me  in  a 
position  of  such  peril,  when  I  should  rather  have 
accused  my  own  wilful  imprudence ;  and  was  chafed 
and  angered  by  the  composure  with  which  she  talked 
of  an  affair  that  might  have  proved  my  destruction. 

"  Was  I  safe  ?  Perhaps  so  ;  but  my  nerves  had  been 
so  severely  shaken  that  I  refused  to  leave  the  house 
before  daybreak ;  so  much  did  I  apprehend  that  there 
might  still  be  some  emissaries  of  the  Police-Minister  in 
its  neighborhood. 

*'  Ha !  you  wish  to  know  if  I  still  remained  the  slave 

of  my  passion  for  Madame  de  C ?     I  will  be  frank 

with  you.  I  did  not.  I  had  loved  the  woman,  but  a 
few  hours  had  taught  me  to  loathe  the  actress.  What 
confidence  could  I  place  in  a  mistress  who  could  hold 
head  against  Fouche  ?  Who  could  lie  without  a  blush, 
and  betray  those  who  had  trusted  to  her  good  faith 
without  the  hesitation  of  a  second  ? 

"  If  deeds  of  blood  were  not  actually  perpetrated  in 
her  house  they  were  at  least  planned  there ;  and  my 
ideas  of  a  home  had  never  included  incidents  of  this 
nature.  No,  I  did  not  marry  her  ;  and  I  have  reason 
to  believe  that  the  biography  of  the  bold  man  who  did 
so  would  be  one  of  an  exti'aordinary  nature.  So  that, 
after  all,  you  see  I  am  under  some  obligation  to  Fouche. 


AN  IMPERIAL   DECREE.  78 


CHAPTER  VI. 


AN  IMPERIAL  DECREE. 


In  the  month  of  March,  1808,  appeared  the  Imperial 
Decree  which  definitively  re-constructed  the  Monarchy 
upon  its  original  basis,  and  consolidated  its  strength  by 
the  indispensable  institution  of  an  hereditary  nobility ; 
and  nothing  could  perhaps  have  produced  a  more  extra- 
ordinary effect  upon  the  public  mind  than  this  proof 
that  the  result  of  the  Revolution  was  simply  the  succes- 
sive resuscitation  of  all  which  that  great  national  con- 
vulsion had  overthrown.  Already  France  had  an 
Emperor  instead  of  a  King ;  the  Order  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor  instead  of  those  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  St. 
Louis;  and  finally,  an  aristocracy  was  to  be  created 
which  would  be  improvised  by  a  Decree ! 

Tliis  military  mode  of  constituting  a  peerage  was  a 
terrible  blow  to  the  denizens  of  the  Faubourg  Saint- 
Germain,  whose  antediluvian  notions  of  nobility  were 
associated  with  long  descent,  numerous  quarterings,  and 
family  tradition ;  and  they  at  once  decided  that  they 
could  not  acknowledge  as  equally  valid,  titles  which 
had  been  gained  by  prowess  in  the  field,  and  those 
which  were  bestowed  upon  mere  civilians.  To  the  first, 
as  they  declared,  they  could  reconcile  themselves, 
almost  every  distinguished  house  having  earned  its 
honors  originally  by  the  sword ;  while  they  regarded 

4 


74  EPISODES  OF  FBENCH  HISTORY. 

the  others  as  mere  plebeians,  whom  they  asserted  that 
"  M.  Bonaparte  "  might  re-christen  as  he  pleased  with- 
out being  able  to  ennoble  their  nature,  or  to  render 
them  fitting  associates  for  the  descendants  of  the  Mont- 
morencies,  the  Rohans,  and  the  Crequys. 

They  could  not,  however,  overcome  their  fear  for  the 
future  when  they  reflected  on  the  incontestable  personal 
valor  of  the  individuals  likely  to  be  selected  by  the 
Emperor  among  his  generals,  for  they  instantly  under- 
stood that  no  sovereign  would  dispense  with  their  sup- 
port, even  should  France  cease  to  be  an  empire.  The 
marshals  who  fought  under  the  League  did  not  resign 
their  batons  when  Henry  lY.  ascended  the  throne  as 
the  recognised  King  of  France  ;  and  it  was  certain  that 
the  leaders  of  Napoleon's  army  would  be  equally  indis- 
pensable to  a  Bourbon  sovereign. 

The  greatest  anxiety  pervaded  all  classes  before  the 
promulgation  of  the  Imperial  will ;  and  finally,  on  the 
11th  of  March,  the  Arch-chancellor,  President  of  the 
Senate,  having  convoked  a  General  Assembly,  delivered 
a  speech,  in  which  he  declared  that  "  the  new  order  of 
things  would  raise  no  barrier  between  the  citizens  ; 
and  would  in  no  way  interfere  with  the  rights  which 
rendered  all  Frenchmen  equal  before  the  law  ;  but  that 
a  brilliant  career  would  always  remain  open  to  indivi- 
duals of  virtue  and  useful  talents." 

The  Imperial  Decree,  which  was  dated  three  days 
earlier,  stated  that  the  Grand  Dignitaries  of  the  Empire 
would  assume  the  titles  of  Prince  and  Serene  High- 
ness ;  that  the  dukes  should  receive  an  income  of  two 
hundred  thousand  francs  (a  clause  which  was  never 
executed) ;   and  that  the  titles  of  Count,  Baron,  and 


\ 


AN  IMPERIAL  DECREE.  76 

Knight,  should  be  restored ;  these  were,  however,  de- 
graded from  the  commencement,  as  they  conld  be  ob- 
tained easily  by  money.  Consequently,  fortune,  and 
not  merit,  was  to  transmit  the  hereditary  distinction ; 
and  it  was  to  be  foreseen  that  the  ranks  of  the  new 
nobility  would  be  inevitably  invaded  by  the  host  of 
fortunate  speculators,  who  had  enriched  themselves 
during  the  Revolution.  The  Decree  formally  classified 
the  functions  which  would  confer  a  right  to  each  sepa- 
rate title  ;  announced  the  armorial  bearings  which  were 
to  be  adopted ;  and  subsequently,  the  coronets  which 
had  ceased  to  have  any  signification,  were  replaced  by 
caps. 

Tlie  whole  kingdom  was  convulsed  on  the  reading  of 
this  Decree.  Tlie  Jacobins  were  indignant,  and  the 
Royalists  were  disgusted  ;  but  there  was  no  remedy  for 
the  evil  to  either  party ;  while  those  who  were  sin- 
cerely favorable  to  the  new  dynasty  did  not  hesitate  to 
declare  their  conviction  that  there  were  no  other  rational 
means  of  consolidating  a  throne  which,  however  lofty 
it  might  seem,  could  not  be  considered  as  perfectly 
stable  in  its  foundations. 

"Three  years  previously,"  said  Count  D ,  "just 

after  the  first  Austrian  campaign,  and  when  peace  was 
about  to  be  concluded,  I  was  in  the  habit  of  frequent- 
ing the  Caf6  de  Foy,  where  I  made  the  acquaintance 
of  an  elderly  man  of  remarkably  handsome  person,  who 
stated  himself  to  be  a  German.  Tliis  foreigner  was  evi- 
dently anxious  to  render  himself  agreeable  to  me,  while 
he  affected  to  be  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  I  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Imperial  household.  His  society  was  always 
welcome,  for  he  had  travelled  nearly  over  the  world. 


76  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

and  had  visited  every  Court  in  Europe.  He  was  a 
deep-thouglited  and  observant  man,  and  spoke  more 
enthusiastically  of  kings  and  queens,  of  the  splendor  of 
royalty,  and  the  niggardly  meanness  of  republics,  than 
on  any  other  subject. 

"  One  evening,  when  we  had  taken  our  ices  at  the 
same  table,  he  suddenly  exclaimed  :  ^  Are  you  aware, 
Monsieur,  that  the  European  sovereigns  consider  the 
Imperial  Court  very  insignificant  ?  What  is  a  sovereign 
who  constitutes  in  himself  his  aristocracy  and  his  house- 
hold ?  Is  it  not  an  absurdity  that  there  is  not  a  noble, 
not  a  title  to  be  met  with  there  except  his  own  ?  What 
a  painful  contrast  does  it  offer  to  the  other  Imperial 
and  royal  establishments  of  the  Continent !  I  should 
like  to  have  an  audience  of  the  Emperor  for  half  an 
hour  to  represent  this  fact  to  him,  and  to  impress  upon 
him  its  probable  consequences ;  or  to  meet  with  some 
one  sufficiently  in  his  confidence  to  acquaint  him  with 
the  secret  of  the  other  European  Courts.' 

"  ^  And  what  is  this  secret? '  I  asked  without  hesita- 
tion, convinced  that  he  was  perfectly  cognisant  of  my 
official  position,  and  that  I  could  not  consequently  be 
guilty  of  any  indiscretion  in  making  the  inquiry. 

" '  It  is  easily  told,'  was  the  ready  reply ;  '  and  in 
point  of  fact  scarcely  deserves  the  name.  This  it  is 
then :  that  so  long  as  Kapoleon  delays  to  re-establish 
titles  of  nobility,  armorial  bearings,  and  an  equestrian 
order,  so  long  his  government  will  remain  isolated  in 
Europe.  The  greatness  of  the  Emperor  will  be  merely 
personal,  and  will  have  struck  no  roots  into  the  soil ;  in 
one  word,  the  Emperor  of  the  French  will  always  be 
considered  merely  as  the  Chief  of  a  Republic.    He 


AN  IMPERIAL  DECREE.  77 

must  reflect  upon  this.  His  subjects  themselves  are 
anxious  to  see  him  definitively  cast  off  everything  which 
tends  to  recall  the  memory  of  the  Republic ;  and  he 
will  do  well  to  remember  that  in  aggrandising  the  Em- 
pire, he  has  annexed  countries  in  which  aristocratic 
forms  and  habits  are  always  regretted.' 

"  As  he  ceased  speaking  he  rose  and  left  me  without 
giving  me  time  to  reply ;  and  I  felt  more  than  ever 
assured  that  he  considered  his  mission  to  be  accom- 
plished, from  the  fact  that  he  never  again  appeared  at 
the  Cafe  de  Foy.  My  impression  then  was,  and  I  still 
retain  it,  that  he  was  the  secret  agent  of  some  sovereign, 
instructed  to  convey  to  Napoleon,  through  the  medium 
of  a  third  person,  the  opinion  of  the  foreign  potentates 
at  a  period  when  a  number  of  matrimonial  projects  with 
the  Bonaparte  family  were  rumored  on  all  sides. 

"Some  time  subsequently,  it  might  have  been  perhaps 
a  fortnight  afterwards,  when  I  was  on  duty  at  la  Mal- 
maison,  where  the  rules  of  etiquette  were  less  scrupu- 
lously observed  than  in  Paris,  the  Emperor  inquired  of 
me  if  I  had  anything  new  to  tell  him. 

" '  Yery  little,  Sire ;'  was  my  reply,  *  except,  if  yeur 
Majesty  will  allow  me  to  say  so,  that  I  begin  to  think 
the  crowned  heads  of  Europe  have  appointed  me  their 
Ambassador.' 

"  '  What  am  I  to  understand  ?  What  do  you  mean  V 
he  demanded  impatiently. 

"  I  related  to  him  my  adventure  at  the  cafe,  without 
omitting  a  single  detail. 

"  He  listened  with  evident  interest,  and  as  I  concluded 
he  exclaimed :  '  "Who  was  this  man  ?  You  should 
have  followed  him,  and  ascertained — what  was  he  like  ? 


78  EPISODES  OP  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  I  confess  that  on  this  occasion  I  did  not  punctually 
obey  the  orders  of  the  Emperor,  as  I  had  a  horror  of 
finding  myself  compromised  in  any  police  afiair ;  and 
I  accordingly  drcAV  rather  upon  my  imagination  than 
my  memory  in  the  description  which  I  gave  of  my 
mysterious  acquaintance. 

"  So  ended  the  adventure  ;  and  I  had  almost  forgotten 
it  until  it  was  recalled  to  my  mind  by  the  Imperial 
Decree  which  ennobled  so  many  of  my  countrymen, 
and  by  the  words  of  Napoleon  himself,  who  said  to  me 
with  a  smile  :  '  Well,  I  suppose  that  your  friend  of  the 
Cafe  de  Foy  will  be  satisfied  now,  and  my  brothers 
also.'" 

The  Faubourg  Saint-Germain  resented  the  indignity 
which  had  been  offered  to  their  patrician  prejudices, 
by  overwhelming  with  the  most  superb  disdain  the 
newly-created  nobles.  The  Duchess  de  Chevreuse 
desired  her  waiting- woman  to  inform  her  laundress  that 
she  should  no  longer  entrust  her  with  her  linen,  until 
she  became  a  countess ;  and  the  Count  de  Brissac 
addressed  to  his  bootmaker  a  note,  commencing  with 
the-  words : — 

"  My  dear  Baron,  do  not  fail  to  bring  me  my  boots 
to-morrow." 

And  when,  on  the  following  day,  the  astonished 
tradesman  assured  him  that  he  had  been  the  recipient  of 
no  such  title,  de  Brissac  exclaimed  with  elegant  imper- 
tinence : — 

"  Can  that  be  possible  ?  You  really  astonish  me  I 
Console  yourself,  however,  Maizenat,  for  rest  assured 
that  you  will  be  included  in  the  next  baking." 

Some  young  men  who  were  intimate  at  the  Hotel  de 


AN  IMPERIAL  DECREE.  79 

Luynes,  sent  a  number  of  magnificent  bouquets  to 
certain  of  the  market-women,  with  letters  of  congratu- 
lation on  the  titles  which  had  been  bestowed  upon  their 
relatives;  and  these  pasquinades  greatly  amused  their 
authors ;  while  it  must  be  admitted  that  many  mem- 
bers of  the  improvised  aristocracy  rendered  tliemselves 
sufficiently  absurd  to  aflford  a  fair  field  for  the  ridicule 
of  the  royalists. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  of  all  the  nations  of 
Europe,  France  is  the  least  adapted  to  Republican  sim- 
plicity ;  gaud  and  glitter  are  as  indispensable  to  the 
happiness  of  a  Frenchman  as  bread  and  Bordeaux 
wine ;  and  a  high-sounding  title  is  so  agreeable  to  the 
palate  even  of  a  hourgeoia^  that  when  he  is  brought  into 
contact  with  a  noble,  and  addresses  him  as  "Your 
Highness,"  or  "  Monseigneur,"  he  does  it  with  an  em- 
phasis and  an  air  of  self-gratulation,  which  would  lead 
a  stander-by  to  believe  that  the  fortunate  individual 
considered  himself  to  be  ennobled  by  the  mere  privi- 
lege of  uttering  the  magic  words. 

The  creation  of  the  Imperial  aristocracy  necessarily 
w^ounded  the  vanity  of  many  who  considered  that  their 
merits  had  not  been  adequately  acknowledged,  and 
gave  birth  to  a  host  of  jealousies  and  sarcasms;  but 
the  restoration  of  heraldic  distinctions  was  welcomed 
with  the  utmost  enthusiasm  even  by  those  who  had 
been  the  most  active  in  their  destruction ;  the  relatives 
of  the  new  nobles  were,  above  all,  the  first  to  exult,  as, 
since  the  Revolution,  although  a  species  of  personal 
nobility  had  been  recognised,  there  had  been  no  here- 
ditary right  to  the  honors  earned  by  the  individual 
himself;  and  a  father  had  consequently  no  means  of 


80  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

bequeathing  to  liis  successor  more  than  the  memory  of 
his  own  greatness.  Now,  however,  that  envied  great- 
ness was  no  longer  to  be  a  simple  family  tradition  ; 
after-centuries  were  to  perpetuate  the  glories  which 
had  been  gained  by  its  founder;  while,  moreover, 
although  the  list  of  what  the  Germans  denominate 
"newly-baked"  dignitaries,  was  extensive  enough  to 
form  a  very  respectable  entourage  to  the  Imperial 
throne,  it  still  was  not  so  profuse  as  to  discredit  the 
institution  in  its  infancy  ;  nor  can  there  be  any  doubt 
that  it  exercised  a  very  salutary  influence  on  the  public 
mind ;  for,  as  those  upon  whom  the  honors  of  aristo- 
cracy had  been  conferred,  considered  themselves  bound 
to  assume  a  dignity  and  propriety  of  bearing,  about 
which  they  had  previously  been  careless ;  so,  the  fear  of 
derogating  from  the  respectability  of  their  new  "  order," 
induced  a  certain  moral  severity  by  which  all  classes 
could  not  fail  to  benefit ;  and  which,  at  the  same  time, 
proved  a  most  efficient  aid  to  the  measures  of  the 
government ;  while  the  prospect  of  after-aggrandize- 
ment to  all  who  were  not  included  in  the  original 
patent  excited  a  spirit  of  emulation  to  win  their  spurs 
by  the  same  public  services. 

On  the  other  hand  the  commerce  of  the  capital  pro- 
fited largely  by  the  institution ;  and  many  trades 
which  had  ceased  to  exist  since  the  overthrow  of  the 
Monarchy  were  resumed  with  increased  activity.  In 
one  article  alone,  that  of  gold  lace,  which  had  totally 
disappeared,  millions  of  yards  were  ordered  for  the 
decoration  of  Court  suits  and  State  liveries  ;  and 
throughout  the  whole  Empire  it  is  asserted  that  General 
d'Adoville  alone,  did  not  exceed  his  annual  expendi- 


AN   IMPERIAL  DECREK.  81 

tiire  bj  a  single  sous  when  he  received  his  title  of 
Count.  In  every  other  case  luxury  made  rapid  pro- 
gress ;  and  a  love  of  splendor  and  display,  which  was 
undisguisedly  encouraged  by  Napoleon,  spread  so 
widely  and  simultaneously,  that  the  vanity  of  the  com- 
paratively few  conduced  to  the  profit,  and  became  the 
example  of  the  many. 

So  much  for  the  serious  side  of  the  question ;  and  as 
we  know  that  "there  is  but  one  step  from  the  sublime  to 
the  ridiculous,"  we  will  now  turn  to  the  reverse  of  the 
medal.  Everything  in  this  world  should  be  looked  at 
on  both  sides ;  and  assuredly  no  one  who  was  not  for- 
tunate enough  to  be  in  the  society  of  a  duke,  a  count,  or 
a  baron  of  the  Empire  w^ithin  the  first  eight-and-forty 
hours  of  his  accession  to  the  title,  can  form  a  correct 
idea  of  the  elasticity  of  human  vanity.  The  satisfied 
ambition  and  affected  modesty  struggling  for  master- 
dom,  afforded  a  singular  study  for  the  physiological  stu- 
dent, and  was  well  calculated  to  make  even  the  gravest 
smile ;  but  this  was  faint  in  comparison  with  the  amuse- 
ment afforded  by  the  extravagances  of  the  duchesses, 
the  countesses,  and  the  baronesses.  Several  among  the 
men  took  lessons  from  the  celebrated  actor  Fleury  in 
the  art  of  gracefully  wearing  a  court-dress ;  but  as  for 
the  women,  they  thoroughly  emulated  the  frog  in  the 
fiible  ;  and  more  than  one  of  them  would  have  disowned 
Eve  herself  as  their  common  mother  because  she  never 
bore  a  title. 

The  wife  of  Marshal  Massena  purchased  a  dozen 
dresses  of  old  brocade  (such  as  were  in  vogue  at  Court 
in  the  time  of  Madame  de  Pompadour),  which  were  con- 
stantly to  be  seen  spread  out  upon  chairs  in  a  passage 

4* 


82  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

leading  to  lier  bed-room,  as  if  to  air ;  and  wlien  she 
was  asked  what  she  was  going  to  do  with  them — a 
question  which  was  repeated  more  than  once  after  the 
curiosity  of  the  first  visitor  had  been  so  characteristi- 
cally satisfied — she  replied  carelessly  : — 

"  Do  with  them  ?  Oh,  nothing  at  all ;  but  they  be- 
longed to  my  grandmother ;  and  I  want  to  keep  them 
as  long  as  I  can  for  her  sake." 

One  baroness,  probably  from  a  latent  affection  for 
that  peculiar  kitchen  utensil,  caused  the  arms  of  her 
husband  to  be  emblazoned  upon  the  rolling-pin  with 
which  her  cook  prepared  his  pastry ;  and  a  countess, 
who  when  ennobled  was  engaged  in  an  intrigue  with 
the  valet-de-charnbre  of  one  of  the  Emperor's  chamber- 
lains, not  satisfied  with  giving  him  her  portrait  in  court- 
costume,  caused  the  heraldic  bearings  of  M.  le  Comte 
to  be  inserted  at  the  back  of  the  locket  on  a  ground  of 
blue  enamel. 

The  said  heraldic  bearings  were,  moreover,  of  the 
most  singular  and  heterogeneous  description  ;  the  mot- 
toes being  in  some  instances  a  rebus,  and  in  others  an 
allusion  to  the  origin  of  their  owner's  fortune;  but 
these  were  among  the  most  modest  and  unpretending 
claimants  to  chivalric  honors  ;  for  there  were  not  want- 
ing several  who  appropriated  to  themselves  the  time- 
honored  insignia  of  some  of  the  most  illustrious  families 
of  France.  These,  however,  were  not  long  suffered  to 
glory  in  the  profanation  ;  as  Napoleon,  morbidly  sensi- 
tive to  the  ridicule  as  well  as  to  the  resentment  of  the 
true  lords  of  the  soil,  ordered  all  such  devices  as  had 
been  in  use  under  the  Bourbons  to  be  discontinued ; 
and  commanded  that  new  ones  should,  in  all  cases,  be 
substituted. 


▲K  IMPERIAL  DECREE.  88 

Books  on  heraldry  jjroduced  fabulous  prices,  as  the 
inventive  genius  of  the  arm-hunters  was  by  no  means  so 
great  as  the  strength  of  their  muscles  or  the  length  of 
their  purses  ;  and  nothing  could  be  more  entertaining  to 
those  of  the  ancien  reghiie  than  to  hear  pretty  lips,  not 
always  conveying  the  most  accurate  or  high-bred  French, 
endeavoring  to  familiarise  themselves  with  the  crabbed 
terms  contained  in  those  works,  and  repeating  them  to 
the  intense  delight  of  the  father  behind  his  counter, 
and  the  mother  in  her  wash-house ;  and  to  the  supreme 
astonishment  of  clerks  and  shopmen,  once  the  playmates 
of  the  young  and  erudite  ladies  of  high  rank  who  still 
condescended  to  remember  their  existence.  Of  course 
they  might  just  as  well  have  listened  to  so  much  He- 
brew ;  but  as  they  naturally  imagined  that  this  must  be 
the  language  used  at  Court,  they  could  only  slirug  their 
shoulders,  and  whisper  among  themselves  that  they 
greatly  preferred  the  intelligible  idiom  of  the  hanlieue. 

One  worthy  soap-dealer  returned  thanks  to  his  daugh- 
ter for  having  embellished  the  pannels  of  her  carriage 
with  the  golden  arm  which  figured  above  his  shop- 
door  ;  although  he  at  the  same  ventured  to  express  his 
regret,  that  from  an  ill-judged  motive  of  economy,  she 
should  only  have  had  it  painted  to  look  like  iron ;  declar- 
ing that  had  she  told  him  what  she  was  about  to  do,  he 
would  cheerfully  have  paid  the  difference  himself. 

We  need  scarcely  say  that  it  was  the  military  crest 
of  his  gallant  son-in-law;  a  gloved  hand  grasping  a 
Bword ! 


84  EPISODES  OF  FBENCH  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  YII. 

PETER   THE   FISHERMAN. 

"  I  PASSED  the  memorable  year  1813  at  Dresden,  of 
wliicli  city  I  am  a  native,"  said  the  intelligent  and 
amiable  man  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  present 
narrative ;  "  and  it  was  my  unhappy  fate  to  become  an 
eye-witness  of  all  the  calamities  with  which  the  town 
was  visited  from  the  arrival  of  Marshal  Davoust  at  the 
head  of  twelve  thousand  men,  until  the  capitulation  of 
Gouvion-Saint-Cyr. 

"  I  was  at  that  period  still  a  young  man,  but  having 
lost  my  parents  at  a  very  early  age,  I  had  already  tra- 
velled, and  had  practised  as  a  surgeon  for  two  years 
at  St.  Petersburg. 

"  Neither  the  habits  nor  the  climate  of  Russia  being 
congenial  to  me,  I  then  resolved  to  return  home ;  and 
in  September,  1812,  I  found  myself  once  more  in  the 
capital  of  Saxony,  decidedly  the  most  agreeable  of  all 
the  German  cities ;  and,  moreover,  dear  to  me  from 
early  associations  and  memories.  To  the  mere  traveller, 
however,  Dresden  must  be  full  of  attraction,  with  its 
delicious  climate,  its  picturesque  environs,  its  majestic 
river,  its  superb  bridge,  resting  so  gracefully  upon  its 
six  admirably -proportioned  arches ;  its  palaces  and  gar- 
dens, its  costly  library,  and  its  picture  and  sculpture 
galleries ;   the  only  remarkable  collection  in  Europe 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  86 

respected  by  Napoleon,  which  has  obtained  for  Dres- 
den the  well-merited  title  of  the  Florence  of  the  North. 
"  Even  in  the  December  of  1812,  I  foresaw  that  my 
native  city  would  become  the  centre  of  the  French 
military  operations  in  the  last  struggle  of  Napoleon  to 
preserve  the  sovereignty  of  the  European  Continent ; 
and  the  event  too  fully  justified  my  melancholy  fore- 
bodings. By  the  fortresses  of  Torgau,  Wittemburg, 
and  Magdeburg,  he  commanded  the  course  of  tke  Elbe, 
and  he  could  advance  or  recede  on  either  bank  at  will. 
The  Saxon  capital  being  a  populous  city,  and  well 
supplied  with  all  the  necessaries  of  existence  by  the 
extreme  fertility  of  the  surrounding  country,  would 
aflford  abundant  means  of  subsistence  to  his  troops,  and 
of  hospitals  for  his  wounded ;  while  the  fortified  positions 
of  Pirua,  Lilicastein,  Konigstein,  and  Stolpein,  formed 
in  the  environs  an  extensive  entrenched  camp  for  his 
numerous  troops,  whence  he  could  easily  march  detach- 
ments against  Prague,  Berlin,  and  Breslau.  The  result 
of  the  fearful  battle  fought  near  Bautzen,  in  the  month 
of  May,  was  the  arrival  at  Dresden  of  twenty  thousand 
wounded  soldiei*s ;  and  as  my  profession  was  known,  I 
was  engaged  by  the  French  authorities  to  assist  in 
attending  them.  Those  who  were  only  slightly  hurt,  or 
attacked  by  illness,  the  result  of  fatigue  and  exposure, 
were  billeted  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  by  which 
means  it  became  one  vast  infirmary;  and  all  were 
treated  with  as  much  kindness  and  liberality  as  the 
rapidly  decreasing  resources  of  their  compulsatory  hosts 
would  permit ;  but  the  regular  hospitals  were  so  over- 
crowded, and  the  difficulty  of  administering  to  the  wants 
of  all  was  so  great,  that  it  would   be  impossible  to 


86  EPISODES  OF  TRENCH  HISTORY. 

describe  the  horrible  spectacle  which  they  presented 
during  the  siege. 

''  Conscious,  however,  that  I  exerted  all  my  energies 
in  their  behalf;  and  that  they  wanted  nothing  which  it 
was  in  my  power  to  procure  for  them,  or  any  relief 
from  their  sufferings  that  my  professional  knowledge 
could  effect,  it  was  really  astonishing  to  witness  the 
gratitude  of  men  who  were  no  sooner  saved  from  im- 
mediate death,  than  they  risked  in  a  few  months,  and 
sometimes  only  in  a  few  weeks  afterwards,  the  life  thus 
preserved,  with  the  utmost  apparent  indifference. 

"Among  others,  an  old  non-commissioned  officer, 
whom  Marshal  Lobau  treated  rather  as  a  friend  than  as 
an  inferior,  having,  after  a  month  of  acute  suffering, 
regained  his  health  under  my  care,  saw  fit  to  attribute 
his  recovery  entirely  to  what  he  called  my  wonderful 
skill,  without  doing  justice  either  to  nature,  or  to  his 
own  courage  and  fortitude.  This  gallant  veteran 
always  addressed  me  by  the  name  of  *  Father ;'  an 
appellation  which  so  much  diverted  his  comrades  (who 
were  aware  that  the  word  would  have  been  far  more 
applicable  from  my  own  lij^s  when  our  respective  ages 
were  considered)  that  I  was  soon  known  by  no  other 
throughout  the  regiment ;  and  not  one  of  the  brave 
fellows  ever  thought  of  saying  *  Here  is  Doctor  Wolmar,' 
or  *  Doctor  Wolmar  ordered  it ;'  but  invariably  ^  Here 
is  Larive's  Papa,'  or  *  Papa  ordered  it.'  If  a  patient 
died  under  my  hands  the  Serjeant  always  declared  that 
it  was  because  he  had  thought  proper  to  do  so ;  and,  iu 
short,  if  any  one  took  the  trouble  to  listen  to  him  he 
would  almost  have  persuaded  his  auditor  that  I  was 
Esculapius  in  person. 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  87 

"  Since  my  return  from  St.  Petersburg  I  had  lived  in 
private  lodgings ;  and  the  room  in  which  I  slept  when 
I  was  not  on  duty  at  the  hospital,  commanded  a  noble 
view  of  the  bridge  and  the  vine-covered  heights  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Elbe.  It  was  one  of  those  old  houses 
with  high  and  slanting  roofs  so  common  in  Germany  ; 
containing  several  garrets,  of  which  the  upper  one  was 
occupied  by  a  poor  old  man,  who  gained  his  scanty 
subsistence  by  fishing  in  the  river.  He  had  a  grand- 
daughter, a  girl  of  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  called 
Meta,  whose  look  and  manner  were  indicative  of 
idiotcy,  but  who  was  employed  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
house  out  of  sheer  compassion,  in  performing  trifling 
services  for  his  lodgers.  This  indigent  pair  had  only 
resided  a  few  months  in  Dresden,  and  no  one  knew 
anything  positive  about  them ;  but  it  was  generally 
believed  that  they  had  seen  better  days,  and  that  some 
sudden  and  unforeseen  misfortune  had  unsettled  the 
reason  of  the  poor  young  girl,  leaving  her  only  just 
intelligence  enough  to  fulfil  the  easy  duties  with  which 
she  was  entrusted. 

"  Meta  was  so  pretty  and  so  helpless  that  I  became 
anxious  to  ascertain  if  it  were  beyond  the  power  of  the 
medical  art  to  restore  her  to  the  full,  or  at  least  the  par- 
tial, possession  of  her  intellect,  and  I  consequently 
watched  her  with  untiring  curiosity ;  while  the  longer 
I  did  so,  the  more  I  became  convinced  that  there  was 
some  mystery  about  her.  I  occasionally  addressed  her 
when  she  brought  up  my  breakfast  or  my  letters,  and 
for  some  time  her  unmeaning  answers,  and  the  vacant 
smile  which  hovered  upon  her  lips,  convinced  me,  pre- 
disposed as  I  was  by  what  I  had  been  told,  to  believe 


88  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

that  she  was  indeed  an  idiot.  She  was  always  dressed 
in  the  coarse  and  ungainly  gown  of  a  Saxon  peasant, 
but  I  nevertheless  soon  discovered  that  neither  her 
features,  her  figure,  nor  her  manners  belonged  to  that 
class  of  society.  Her  height  was  rather  above  that  of 
the  generality  of  her  sex,  and  so  far  as  it  was  possible 
to  judge,  shrouded  as  it  was  beneath  the  cumbrous 
garments  that  she  wore,  it  was  slight  and  elegant. 
Her  voice  was  clear  and  sweet ;  and  the  expression  of 
her  face  was  soft  and  pleasant,  when  it  was  not  de- 
stroyed by  the  unmeaning  smile  to  which  I  have 
already  made  allusion.  It  was  evident,  from  several 
idioms  which  occasionally  escaped  her,  and  which  were 
decidedly  those  of  another  land,  that  Meta  was  not  a 
native  of  Germany  ;  and,  in  short,  an  attentive  observer 
could  not  fail  to  perceive  that  she  had  about  her  a  self- 
respect  and  delicacy  totally  out  of  keeping  with  her 
present  station  in  life. 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind  was,  however,  to  be  detected 
in  the  rough  and  surly  old  man  whom  Meta  called  her 
grandfather.  A  wide  and  heavy  coat  of  coarse  cloth, 
the  usual  costume  of  his  class,  covered  his  tall  and 
robust  figure,  while  his  face  was  almost  entirely  con- 
cealed by  his  long  pendant  locks  of  grey  hair  and  his 
bushy  beard,  which  time  had  blanched  to  the  same 
hue.  He  was  dumb,  or  so  nearly  so  that  the  sounds 
which  he  emitted,  when  at  rare  intervals  he  was 
betrayed  into  excitement,  resembled  rather  the  deep 
growling  of  a  wild  beast  than  the  voice  of  a  human 
being  ;  and  he  was  soon  known  throughout  Dresden  as 
Peter  the  Dumb  Fisherman.  As  he  occasionally  brought 
the  produce  of  his  lines  for  sale  to  the  difi'erent  hospi- 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  89 

tale,  the  French  soldiers  with  their  usual  gaiety,  which 
had  affixed  upon  me  the  sobriquet  of  Papa,  conferred 
upon  him  the  honors  of  canonization ;  and  whenever 
ho  made  his  appearance  they  saluted  him  by  the  name 
of  St.  Peter. 

"  This  old  man  also  became  one  of  my  patients,  but 
I  cannot  include  him  among  those  whose  gratitude  I 
have  already  recorded.  Scarcely  did  he  even  favor 
me  by  a  bow  of  thanks  when  his  cure  was  completed, 
and  he  was  once  more  able  to  pursue  his  avocation ; 
but  such  was  far  from  being  the  case  with  his  grand- 
daughter, who  appeared  to  feel  that  it  was  her  duty  to 
convince  me  that  my  kindness  had  not  been  unappre- 
ciated by  herself;  for  from  that  moment  she  devoted 
herself  with  untiring  zeal  to  supply  my  wants,  and  to 
obey  my  wishes.  Gradually  her  smile  became  less 
vague  ;  and  when  I  entered  into  conversation  with  her 
she  either  cast  down  her  eyes,  or  riveted  them  upon 
me  with  intense  thoughtfulness,  while  a  deep  blush 
overspread  her  face. 

"  I  was  not  the  only  person  who  noticed  this  change 
in  her  manner  when  she  was  occupied  in  my  service  ; 
and  one  day  Sergeant  Larive,  who  always  came  to  pay 
his  respects  to  me  when  he  was  not  on  duty,  ventured 
to  say  somewhat  jocosely:  'Why,  Papa,  will  you 
never  be  weary  of  working  miracles  ?  It  seems  to  me 
that  you  can  restore  reason  to  young  ladies  as  well  as 
life  to  the  soldiers.' 

"I  now  began  to  hope  that  I  should,  by  judicious 
and  well-timed  questions,  induce  Meta  to  confide  to  me 
the  circumstances  which  had  reduced  herself  and  her 
grandfather  to  their  present  unhappy  condition  ;  but 


90  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

vainly  did  my  curiosity  assume  an  accent  of  the  most 
tender  interest ;  vainly  did  I  ask  her  where  she  was 
born,  and  if  she  had  other  relatives  who  would  take 
charge  of  her  in  the  event  of  the  old  man's  death ;  in- 
stead of  making  any  reply,  she  only  burst  into  tears, 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  hurried  from  the 
room. 

"  Insensibly,  the  charms  of  this  extraordinary  and 
mysterious  girl — who  for  all  save  myself  was  a  mere 
senseless  idiot,  separated  from  her  fellow-beings  by  a 
visitation  which  left  her  little  more  than  the  outward 
semblance  of  humanity — inspired  me  with  a  romantic 
feeling  of  interest,  in  which  I  found  consolation  in  the 
midst  of  my  painful  and  harassing  duties,  which  were 
continued  through  the  fearful  summer,  and  still  more 
fearful  autumn  of  that  eventful  year.  I  shall  not 
dwell  upon  the  details  of  the  memorable  siege  of 
Dresden;  they  are  matters  of  history,  and  have 
emploj^ed  more  skilful  pens  than  mine  ;  but  shall  con- 
fine myself  to  the  narrative  which  I  have  undertaken 
to  relate  to  you. 

"  By  the  commencement  of  I^ovember  the  allies  had 
invested  the  avenues  of  the  city  with  a  formidable 
force ;  while  the  French  army,  still  amounting  to  thirty 
thousand  men,  under  Marshal  Gouvion-Saint-Cyr,  and 
Count  Lobau,  were  shut  up  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  fortifications  of  the  town  ;  which,  since  the  be- 
siegers had  cut  off'  all  communication  with  the  adjacent 
country,  was  tlireatened  with  frightful  privations, 
having  almost  exhausted  its  provisions,  its  fire- wood, 
and  its  drugs. 

"  On  the  night  of  the  3rd  of  November  at  about  ten 


PETER  THE   FISHERMAN.  91 

o'clock  I  left  the  cafi  at  which  I  had  been  spending 
the  evening  with  a  friend,  in  order  to  return  to  my 
lodgings  ;  when,  on  passing  the  palace  of  Count  Bruhl, 
which  was  then  occupied  by  the  Commander-in-Chief, 
my  attention  was  attracted  by  an  unusual  blaze  of 
light  in  the  reception-rooms,  and  the  trampling  of  feet 
in  the  entrance-hall.  As  I  lingered  for  a  moment, 
wondering  what  could  be  the  cause  of  so  much  confu- 
sion and  excitement,  I  saw  my  friend  the  sergeant 
slowly  approach  me ;  and  the  next  moment  he  whis- 
pered in  my  ear : — 

"  *  What  should  you  say.  Papa,  if  I  were  to  require 
your  services  again  to-morrow  V 

"  '  What  is  going  forward  ?'  I  asked  in  my  turn. 

"  *  The  Marshal,  the  Count  Lobau,  and  the  other  big 
epaulettes  have  just  held  a  council  of  war;  and  every- 
thing gives  me  reason  to  believe  that  we  are  going  to 
breathe  a  little  fresh  air  to-night.  I  hope  it  may  be  so ; 
for  I  swear  to  you  that  your  beautiful  city  begins  to 
feel  a  little  too  close  for  an  old  trooper  like  me.^ 

"  '  And  you  suppose,  comrade  ;'  said  I ;  '  that  the 
enemy  will  in  all  probability  disturb  your  stroll ;  and 
that,  fated  as  you  are  to  bring  away  a  trace  of  every 
skirmish  in  which  you  happen  to  be  engaged,  there  is 
perhaps  a  ball  preserved  for  you  in  some  Russian 
cartouche-box.' 

"  '  I  expect  as  much  ;'  was  the  cool  reply  ;  *  but  are 
you  not  on  the  spot  to  supply  me  with  a  wooden  leg  or 
a  wooden  arm,  whichever  I  may  chance  to  want  ?  Be 
good  enough,  however,  to  recollect  that  I  bespeak  my 
old  bed  in  your  ward,  from  which  neither  a  one-legged 
nor  a  one-armed  man  has  yet  been  turned  adrift  to 


92  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

finish  up  liis  campaigns  at  the  Invalides.  But  I  must 
say  good-night ;  I  was  not  put  on  guard  here  to  gossip ; 
and  yonder  comes  the  Captain  of  the  Day.' 

"  So  saying,  and  giving  me  at  the  same  time  a  hearty 
shake  of  the  hand,  Larive  turned  away,  and  entered 
the  guard-room. 

*'  One  of  my  brother-surgeons,  whom  I  encountered 
a  few  minutes  afterwards,  informed  me  more  positively 
that  a  sortie  of  twelve  thousand  men  would  probably 
take  place  at  one  in  the  morning. 

"  When  I  reached  home,  a  vague  uneasiness  mingled 
with  the  excitement  produced  by  the  intelligence  which 
I  had  just  received.  It  was  like  the  foreshadowing  of 
some  personal  misfortune  ;  and  yet  what  had  so  obscure 
an  individual  as  myself  to  apprehend  ?  True,  I  must 
share  in  the  general  danger  of  all  those  who  inhabited 
a  besieged  city,  should  that  city  be  compelled  to  sur- 
render ;  but  I  could  not  discover  that  it  was  this  con- 
viction which  had  cast  such  a  sudden  gloom  over  my 
mind ;  I  had  long  been  so  thoroughly  inured  to  the 
sight  of  suffering,  that  I  should  have  despised  myself 
could  I  for  one  moment  have  shrunk  from  it  in  my  own 
person.  IS'o ;  I  was  not  thinking  or  fearing  for  myself. 
"What  could  it  be  then  ?  Was  I  to  attribute  it  to  the 
interest  which  I  felt  for  the  safety  of  the  brave  old 
sergeant,  and  the  thought  of  the  new  perils  to  which 
he  was  about  to  be  exposed  ?  Was  it  not  rather  that, 
when  I  entered  my  modest  parlor,  Meta  was  not  there 
as  usual,  to  give  me  my  chamber  candle,  and  to  wish 
me  good-night  ?  Where  was  she  ?  What  false  shame 
had  prevented  me  from  reclaiming  her  services  ?  I 
grew  more  and  more  agitated.     Could  it  really  be  that 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  93 

I  felt  for  Meta  a  more  Berious  passion  than  I  had 
hitherto  ventured  to  admit  even  to  myself? 

"  It  seemed  to  me  that,  in  order  to  shake  off  all  these 
bewildering  thoughts,  nothing  would  suffice  save  the 
excitement  of  the  forthcoming  engagement ;  and  I  con- 
sequently resolved  to  sally  forth  once  more,  and  to  take 
up  my  position  at  a  prudent  distance  from  the  fortifica- 
tions, that  I  might  lose  the  sense  of  my  own  anxieties  in 
the  weightier  interests  of  the  stupendous  struggle  which 
was  about  to  take  place.  *  And  perhaps,'  I  murmured 
to  myself,  *  when  I  again  enter  my  chamber  Meta  may 
have  returned.' 

"  I  had  already  put  on  my  cloak  and  hat,  when  about 
midnight  I  heard  a  hollow  rumbling  noise  awakening 
the  dull  echoes  of  the  deserted  streets.  It  was  the  pas- 
sage of  several  pieces  of  ordnance,  with  their  ammuni- 
tion waggons,  the  wheels  carefully  wrapped  with  straw, 
slowly  making  their  way  to  the  bridge.  I  ran  down 
stairs ;  and,  walking  rapidly  through  some  cross-streets, 
I  reached,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  the  centre  of  the 
bridge,  where  an  arch,  which  Davoust  had  blown  up 
in  the  previous  Spring,  was  replaced  by  a  strong  oak 
planking,  flanked  by  lofty  palisades.  "Wrapping  my 
cloak  closely  about  me,  I  concealed  myself  in  one  of 
the  angles  of  the  parapet ;  and  there  I  awaited  the 
arrival  of  the  artillery,  convinced  that  the  surrounding 
gloom  would  render  my  hiding-place  secure. 

"  Suddenly  I  heard  the  shock  of  a  heavy  body  against 
the  palisades,  and  I  distinguished  the  sound  of  voices 
under  the  bridge.  The  dense  atmosphere  of  a  stormy 
November  night,  and  the  whistling  of  a  violent  north- 
east wind,  prevented  me  from  discovering  the  cause  of 


94  EPISODES  or  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

these  strange  noises;  but  when  the  artillery  shortly 
afterwards  passed  by,  and  had  gained  the  opposite  bank, 
I  looked  and  listened  with  redoubled  attention  towards 
the  palisades.  What  was  my  surprise,  I  will  even  say 
my  alarm,  when  I  saw  one  of  the  oaken  planks  slowly 
rise  from  its  place  1  At  the  same  instant  the  violence 
of  the  wind  dispersed  the  vapors ;  and,  the  new  moon 
shining  down  upon  the  bridge,  I  saw  the  tall  figure  of 
Peter  the  Fisherman  emerge  from  the  opening. 

"  He  was  no  sooner  standing  upright  beside  the  trap 
from  which  he  had  risen,  than  some  one  held  towards 
him  a  long  pole,  which  he  leant  over  the  parapet,  after 
having  carefully  replaced  the  plank ;  and  he  then 
assumed  the  attitude  of  an  angler  throwing  his  line 
into  the  water. 

"At  this  moment  I  distinguished  the  heavy  and 
measured  tramp  of  a  body  of  troops  at  the  extremity  of 
the  bridge  next  the  city,  and  I  saw  the  pale  rays  of  the 
moon  reflected  on  the  arms  of  the  French  vanguard. 

"  Still  shrouded  closely  in  my  dark  cloak,  in  the  deep 
shadow  of  the  recess  in  which  I  had  taken  up  my  sta- 
tion, the  first  battalion  defiled  silently  before  me,  and 
my  heart  beat  anxiously ;  while,  as  the  leading  rank 
reached  the  line  of  planks  which  had  replaced  the  miss- 
ing arch,  the  old  fisherman  began  to  utter  his  inarti- 
culate and  guttural  jargon ;  holding  his  pole  in  one 
hand,  and  his  shapeless  hat  in  the  other,  as  if  soliciting 
charity. 

"  *  Ah !  here  is  St.  Peter  trying  to  fish  I '  exclaimed 
a  grenadier. 

"  *  I  think  that  to-night,'  replied  a  comrade,  '  he  will 
find  he  is  fishing  in  troubled  waters.' 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAK.  96 

"  '  Poor  fellow  I '  said  a  third ;  *  we  must  not  quite 
suffer  him  to  lose  his  time.  Here,'  he  continued,  throw- 
ing a  copper  coin  into  the  hat ;  *  here  is  a  hook  that 
every  two-footed  fish  will  nibble  at.' 

"Others  followed  his  example  ;  each  rank  as  it  passed 
had  its  jest  and  its  offering  for  the  deaf  and  dumb  fish- 
erman ;  who,  as  the  small  pieces  of  money  fell  into  his 
well-worn  beaver,  uttered  a  hoarse  growl  of  thanks, 
more  in  the  voice  of  a  wolf  than  that  of  a  human  being. 

"  At  length  an  officer  mounted  upon  a  remarkably 
fine  charger,  whom  I  instantly  recognised  as  the  Count 
Loban,  passed  so  close  to  the  old  mendicant  that  I 
thought  he  was  about  to  ride  over  him ;  when  he  sud- 
denly drew  in  his  rein,  and  turning  towards  one  of  his 
aides-de-camp,  asked  in  a  stern  and  angry  voice: 
*  Who  is  this  man  ?     And  what  is  he  doing  here?' 

"  *  General,'  was  the  reply ;  *  he  is  an  old  rascal  upon 
whom  I  have  long  had  my  eye.  He  is  deaf  and  dumb ; 
and  our  men  have  often  bestowed  upon  him  money 
which  they  could  ill  afford  to  spare,  and  which  he  has 
received  as  though  all  the  business  of  his  life  was  to 
pay  it  back  in  hate.  Shall  I  order  him  to  be  thrown 
over  the  bridge  ?' 

"  I  began  to  tremble  for  Peter,  who  did  not  appear 
to  have  the  slightest  perception  of  what  was  going 
forward,  when  my  friend  the  sergeant,  advancing  from 
the  ranks,  and  presenting  arms,  addressed  Marshal 
Lobau,  saying  firmly  : — 

"  '  I  hope  you  will  pardon  me.  General,  and  excuse 
my  boldness ;  but  the  man  before  you  is  only  a  poor 
dumb  maniac,  well-known  in  Dresden  as  Peter  the 
Fisherman,  and  as  harmless  as  I  am.' 


69  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  '!N'oble  fellow !'  I  murmured  to  myself.  '  He  is 
tliinking  of  me  while  lie  is  thus  interceding  for  the 
grandfather  of  Meta.' 

"  Count  Lobau  and  his  staff  passed  on,  followed  by 
the  remainder  of  the  battalion,  who  took  no  farther 
notice  of  old  Peter. 

"  The  passage  of  about  ten  thousand  men  and  two 
hundred  guns  necessarily  occupied  a  considerable 
time  ;  but,  finally,  all  alike  disappeared  in  the  distance, 
when  my  attention  became  solely  occupied  by  the 
movements  of  the  mysterious  fishennan.  Suddenly  I 
saw  him  lean  his  rod  over  the  parapet,  and  with  a 
lever  once  more  raise  the  plank  which  had  been  pre- 
viously lifted  to  enable  him  to  gain  the  bridge ;  then, 
kneeling  over  the  aperture,  the  dumb  man,  to  my 
intense  surprise,  called  out  in  a  smothered  voice,  but 
in  excellent  Kuss : — 

"  '  Katinka !  Katinka  !     Is  all  ready  V 

"  *  Yes,  yes,  grandfather  ;  there  is  a  fish  upon  every 
hook ;'  replied  the  shriller  accents  of  a  female. 

"  Rising  hastily  from  his  knees,  the  old  man  seized 
his  long  pole,  which  he  placed  in  a  perpendicular  posi- 
tion ;  and,  instead  of  fish,  I  saw  at  the  end  of  the  pole 
three  small  lanterns  which  emitted  a  strong  light. 
They  were  attached  to  lines  of  different  lengths,  but  at 
equal  distances  from  each  other.  Leaning  on  the  lower 
extremity  of  the  pole,  the  old  man  remained  upright 
and  motionless  until  he  saw  a  brilliant  rocket  ascend 
into  the  sky  from  a  height  above  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  Elbe,  which  was  followed  by  a  number  of  fireworks, 
succeeding  each  other  on  the^  mountains  of  Meissen, 
that  filled  the  atmosphere  with  dazzling  sheets  and 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  97 

lines  of  light,  which  were  reflected  in  the  troubled 
current  of  the  river. 

"Advancing  a  step  or  two  at  this  unexpected  specta- 
cle, I  saw  tlie  old  man  waving  his  long  pole  above  his 
head  until  the  lanterns  were  extinguished  by  the  frantic 
rapidity  of  his  movements.  As  he  had,  perhaps  uncon- 
sciously in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  moved  to  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  species  of  trap  by  which  he 
had  ascended  to  the  bridge,  I  was  in  the  act  of  approach- 
ing the  opening,  when  I  saw  a  second  figure  appear- 
ing through  the  dark  chasm  ;  it  was  that  of  a  woman, 
from  whose  long  and  unhanded  hair  the  water  fell  in 
heavy  drops  upon  the  planks ;  and  whose  garments, 
saturated  with  wet,  and  clinging  closely  to  her  person, 
revealed  a  form  of  the  most  delicate  and  symmetrical 
proportions. 

*'  I  have  already  stated  that  the  young  clear  moon 
shone  out  at  intervals  through  the  drifting  vapors ;  and 
now,  by  her  opportune  assistance,  I  at  once  recognised 
my  beloved  and  mysterious  Meta. 

"  *  In  heaven's  name,  Meta  ;"  I  exclaimed  ;  '  what 
are  you  doing  here  ?  By  what  fatal  chance — '  but 
before  I  could  add  another  word,  and  without  making 
any  immediate  reply,  the  poor  girl  laid  her  hand  upon 
my  lips,  and  dragged  me  with  all  the  strength  she  could 
command  several  paces  towards  the  city. 

"  '  Be  silent  if  you  would  save  your  life,  Wolmar,' 
she  gasped  out  when  we  had  reached  the  centre  of  the 
last  arch  ;  ^  the  old  man  has  nearly  replaced  the  plank. 
Fly,  my  best  and  only  friend,  for  should  he  obtain  even 
a  glimpse  of  you,  he  would  not  hesitate  to  murder 
you ;'  and  then,  trembling  even  more  from  terror  than 

5 


yo  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

from  cold,  Meta  threw  herself  into  mj  arms  repeating : 
'  Fly,  my  friend ;  fly !' 

"  Had  she  been  an  utter  stranger  to  me;  had  I  not 
felt  at  that  moment  still  more  keenly  than  ever  the 
wild  passion  with  which  she  had  inspired  me,  I  could 
not  have  abandoned  her  in  so  deplorable  a  condition. 
Hastily  unclasping  my  cloak,  I  folded  it  about  her ; 
while  the  old  man,  eagerly  watching  the  last  rockets 
which  the  besieging  army  were  still  throwing  up  from 
the  heights  above  Grossenhayn,  cried  out  in  a  voice  like 
thunder : — 

"  '  There  they  are  I  There  they  are !  Eleven  thousand 
of  those  incarnate  demons — of  those  incendiary  mur- 
derers !  Fall  upon  them — slaughter  them,  my  brave 
compatriots,  and  give  no  quarter !  Revenge  your- 
selves, revenge  yourselves,  revenge  the  flames  of  Holy 
Moscow — the  barbarous  massacre  of  my  son  ;  of  the 
sons  of  my  son ;  of  my  wife  ;  and  of  my  two  daughters. 
Strike  !  strike  !  in  the  name  of  God  and  St.  Andrew.' 

"  When  he  had  yelled  forth  these  fearful  words  with 
all  the  frenzy  of  a  maniac,  Peter  the  Fisherman,  as  he 
had  so  long  been  called,  threw  his  lanterns  into  the 
river,  and  turned  towards  the  city.  His  task  was 
ended — ^liis  deed  of  blood  was  done — and  he  had,  un- 
fortunately, recovered  sufficient  composure  to  perceive 
Meta  and  myself  as  we  still  stood  side  by  side,  she 
endeavoring  to  regain  a  little  strength  and  self-com- 
mand, and  refusing  to  accept  the  support  of  my  arm 
lest  she  should  retard  my  flight ;  and  I  urging  upon  her 
the  necessity  of  forthwith  returning  to  her  home.  In 
an  instant,  Avith  a  spring  like  that  of  a  panther,  he 
stood  before  us. 


PETER  THE   FISHERMAN.  99 

"  *  Katiiika  ;'  ho  demanded  furiously  ;  *  who  is  this 
man  ?  What  has  he  seen  ?  What  have  you  told  him  ? 
Wretch  !  You  have  betrayed  me,  and  we  shall  both 
be  shot  before  sunset  to-morrow — fortunately,  however, 
there  is  yet  time  to  make  one  life  pay  for  two ;'  he  pur- 
sued, in  a  voice  so  hoarse  and  guttural  that  it  instantly 
recalled  the  unearthly  sounds  to  which  he  gave  utter- 
ance during  his  assumed  mutism ;  while  at  the  same 
instant  he  clutched  his  pole  with  both  hands,  and 
endeavored  to  fell  me  to  the  ground. 

"  Fortunately  my  good  angel  was  at  my  side ;  for 
quick  as  lightning,  Meta  flung  herself  on  the  old  man, 
and  by  a  sudden  shock  turned  aside  the  fearful  weapon 
which,  escaping  from  his  grasp,  fell  to  the  ground. 

"  At  that  moment  a  heavy  cannonade  was  heard  in 
the  distance ;  while  the  rattle  of  horses'  hoofs,  and  the 
roll  of  artillery  were  audible  at  the  other  extremity  of 
the  bridge  ;  they  were  the  first  fugitives  of  the  eleven 
thousand  men  of  Count  Lobau,  who  had  been  repulsed 
on  the  Drachenberg,  having  found  the  Russians  pre- 
pared to  receive  them,  and  mastere  of  all  the  defiles. 

"  Meta  had  fainted,  worn  out  by  fatigue  and  excite- 
ment ;  and,  without  turning  even  a  look  on  the  old 
man,  I  took  her  in  my  arms,  and  hastened  with  all  the 
speed  I  could  command  towards  the  city. 

"  Avoiding  all  the  sentinels  by  passing  through  the 
most  obscure  streets  and  lanes  with  which  I  was 
familiar,  I  at  length  reached  the  residence  of  an  aged 
aunt,  who,  from  my  boyhood  had  never  lost  an  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  me  the  greatest  and  most  maternal 
kindness.  Informed  by  a  servant  of  this  extraordinary 
intrusion  at  so  strange  an  hour,  she  lost  no  time  in 


100  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

leaving  her  bed,  which  she  at  once  resigned  to  the 
suffering  girl;  who,  on  regaining  consciousness,  was 
attacked  bj  a  nervous  fever,  by  which  she  was  pros- 
trated during  three  days. 

"  On  my  return  to  my  lodgings  the  following  morning, 
I  explained  that  I  had  been  on  duty  at  the  hospital ; 
when  my  landlord  drew  me  on  one  side,  and  informed 
me  of  the  disappearance  of  Meta. 

"  ^  Ko  one  knows  what  has  become  of  her  ;'  he  said 
mysteriously ;  ^  but  as  to  her  grandfather,  there  is 
plenty  of  news  of  him.  He  was  a  spy  :  could  you  ever 
have  suspected  such  a  thing  ?  It  was  he  who  warned 
the  Russians ;  and  he  was  found  on  the  bridge  in  such 
a  state  of  agitation  and  bewilderment  that  he  fancied 
he  was  discovered,  and  talked  as  you  or  I  might  have 
done,  praising  God  and  St.  Andrew  for  the  victoiy  of 
his  countrymen,  instead  of  growling  like  a  wild  beast, 
as  he  has  done  for  so  many  months.  Depend  upon  it 
that  he  will  not  be  kept  long  in  suspense,  but  that 
his  business  will  be  settled  in  four-and-twenty 
hours.' 

"  He  was  right.  On  the  following  day  the  pre- 
tended fisherman,  having  obstinately  refused  to  answer 
the  questions  which  were  put  to  him,  was  shot ;  and  at 
the  same  time  a  placard  was  posted  up,  attributing  the 
failure  of  the  sortie  of  the  previous  night  to  treason,  and 
promising  a  recompense  to  any  one  who  should  de- 
nounce the  accomplices  of  the  Russian  spy.  My 
uneasiness  regarding  Meta  was  intense;  and  it  was 
only  by  slow  degrees,  and  with  extreme  caution,  that 
I  could  break  to  her  the  frightful  truth ;  to  her  who  had 
so  long  been  a  victim  to  the  fanaticism  of  the  only 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  101 

relative  left  to  lier  on  earth,  and  who  now  possessed 
neither  friend  nor  protector  save  myself. 

"After  ten  days  of  irresolution  and  alarm;  after 
having  formed  a  thousand  projects,  each  more  imprac- 
ticable than  the  last,  I  resolved  not  to  lay  myself  open 
to  suspicions  which  might  prove  fatal  to  me,  and  more- 
over destroy  the  reputation  of  Meta.  My  first  con- 
fidant was  ray  friend  the  sergeant,  who  on  this  occa- 
sion, despite  his  forebodings,  had  returned  safe  and 
sound  to  his  old  quartei-s.  Larive  looked  grave  for  a 
moment ;  and  then  stroking  his  moustache,  he  said  con- 
fidently : — 

"  '  Egad,  Papa,  I  began  by  seeking  for  a  cross-road 
to  turn  the  position,  but  I  know  nothing  about  beating 
round  the  bush,  and  I  think  the  best  way  after  all  is  to 
march  straight  forward  to  the  end.  Don't  let  us  put 
the  matter  off  till  to-morrow,  but  go  together  at  once 
to  the  quarters  of  General  Lobau  ;  and  I'll  tell  you  by 
the  way,  how  I  mean  to  open  the  action.' 

"I  followed  the  sergeant  and  we  were  readily 
admitted. 

*'  Count  Lobau  was  alone  in  his  cabinet,  engaged  in 
writing,  and  his  back  was  to  the  door  when  we  entered. 
At  the  sound  of  our  approach  he  raised  his  head ;  and, 
in  a  mirror  which  hung  opposite  to  his  seat,  I  caught  a 
distinct  view  of  his  countenance.  Never  had  I  seen 
him  look  so  stem ;  and  I  began  to  wish  that  we  had 
postponed  our  visit  until  a  more  fortunate  moment.  It 
was,  however,  too  late  to  retreat ;  so,  pausing  upon  the 
threshold  of  the  apartment,  I  suffered  the  sergeant  to 
precede  me. 

"  '  Ah !  here  you  are  then,  my  old  comrade  ;'  said  the 


102  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

General  kindly  ;  *  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  What  news 
do  you  bring  me  V 

"  '  I^one,  General ;  I  am  only  come  to  reclaim,  with 
your  leave,  an  ancient  promise.' 

"*  I  understand ;  but  do  not  imagine  for  an  instant 
that  I  had  forgotten  it,  as  you  would  perceive  were  you 
to  see  what  I  have  just  written.  Trust  me,  Larive,  you 
will  find  me  a  grateful  debtor.' 

"  *  In  that  case,  General ;'  said  Larive,  moving  aside, 
and  pointing  towards  me  ;  '  let  my  companion  be  your 
creditor.' 

"  I  made  a  profound  bow,  which  was  returned  by  the 
count,  who  looked  surprised,  and  as  though  quite  at  a 
loss  to  comprehend  the  meaning  of  the  veteran. 

" '  Dr.  Wolmar  is  well  known  to  me,'  he  said  cour- 
teously ;  ^  not  only  by  sight,  but  also  by  the  reports 
which  have  been  made  to  me  of  his  skill  and  zeal  in 
the  performnace  of  his  fatiguing  and  painful  duties ; 
but,  although  in  common  with  all  the  garrison  of  Dres- 
den, I  owe  him  sincere  thanks  for  the  able  services 
which  he  has  rendered  to  our  brave  fellows  in  their 
hour  of  sufi*ering,  I  was  unconscious  that  I  had  incurred 
any  personal  obligation  towards  him.' 

"  I  was  about  to  utter  an  earnest  disclaimer,  when 
the  sergeant,  not  giving  me  time  to  unclose  my  lips, 
exclaimed  with  a  boldness  which  increased  my  embar- 
rassment : — 

"  *  I  ask  your  pardon,  General ;  but  if  I  dared  I  would 
inquire  if  you  know  what  is  under  the  fifth  button  of 
my  greatcoat  ? ' 

"  '  Of  course  I  do,"  replied  the  count ;  '  I  should  be 
an  ingrate  were  it  otherwise.    It  is  the  scar  of  a  musket 


PETER  THE   FISHERMAN.  103 

ball  intended  for  me  in  the  last  engagement  but  one, 
where  we  foiiglit  side  by  side ;  and  there  is  now  weav- 
ing for  you  a  yard  of  red  ribbon,  of  which  you  will 
soon  have  the  right  to  attach  a  portion  two  or  tliree 
inches  above  it.' 

"  *  Once  more  I  ask  your  pardon,  General,'  resumed 
the  persevering  Larive,  sturdily;  *but  if  the  ball  you 
are  good   enough  to  remember  had  remained  where 

that  s Russian  was  impudent  enough  to  lodge  it,  I 

should  long  since  have  been  laid  where  I  could  not 
have  turned  aside  another  even  from  you.  I  only  wish 
that  I  had  had  a  chance  of  being  a  target  in  your  place 
in  that  cursed  sortie  the  other  night;  but  such  luck 
does  not  often  fall  to  one  man's  share.  Meanwhile, 
here  is  the  gentleman  who  relieved  me  from  the  first, 
and  saved  my  life.  No'vy  if,  as  you  have  sometimes 
said,  I  really  saved  youi-s  at  the  time  you  mention, 
turn  about  is  fair  play ;  so  if  you  will  pay  the  debt  you 
owe  me  to  the  doctor,  we  shall  be  quits ;  and  as  to  the 
ribbon,  if  I  am  not  knocked  over  before  I  am  much 
older,  I  will  earn  that  on  some  future  occasion.' 

"  The  count  laughed.  '  I  quite  understand  your  feel- 
ing, my  brave  fellow,'  he  replied ;  '  and  your  gratitude 
does  you  honor.  What  can  I  do  for  the  doctor?  I 
shall  be  well  pleased  to  serve  him  for  his  own  sake,  as 
well  as  for  yours ;  and  if  what  he  is  come  to  ask  is  prac- 
ticable, I  pledge  you  my  word  that  it  shall  be  accorded.' 

"  *  Now,  Papa,'  said  Larive,  abruptly  addressing  me ; 
*  you  have  heard  what  my  General  has  said ;  and,  as  he 
has  said  it,  it  will  be  done,  for  he  never  yet  broke  his 
word.     Speak  out.     I  have  no  more  right  to  interfere.' 

"  Considerably  encouraged  by  the  smile  which  still 


104  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

lighted  up  the  martial  and  somewhat  stern  countenance 
of  the  count,  I  ventured  to  inform  him  of  what  I  had 
seen  upon  the  bridge,  and  the  danger  to  which  I  had 
been  exposed  by  the  violence  of  the  detected  spy.  He 
listened  earnestly,  and  the  smile  vanished. 

"  '  Tell  me,  sir,'  he  said  as  I  paused  ;  '  how  it  chanced 
that  you  did  not  warn  me  that  there  was  some  mystery 
connected  with  this  wretched  man,  when  you  heard 
me  make  inquiries  about  him  of  my  aide-de-camp  ? ' 

"  *  Simply,  General,'  I  replied,  '  because  I  had  never 
attached  any  idea  of  mystery  to  a  poor  wretch  who  1 
considered  was  heroically  striving  to  support  himself 
and  his  grandchild  under  one  of  the  heaviest  afflictions 
incident  to  humanity.' 

" '  But  when  you  heard  the  voices  under  the  bridge, 
and  knew  that  the  troops  were  on  their  march  to  the 
very  spot  ? ' 

"  '  I  was  more  astonished  than  alarmed.  General ;  I 
did  not  connect  them  for  an  instant  with  the  move- 
ments of  the  army.' 

"  '  But  the  signals,  sir  ?  Surely  you  could  have  pre- 
vented them  from  being  exhibited  to  the  enemy  ?  You 
did  not  abstain  from  personal  fear,  of  that  I  am  con- 
vinced, for  I  have  long  ascertained  that  you-  are  no 
coward.  How  then,  I  once  more  ask,  came  you  to 
stand  by,  and  suffer  this  monstrous  act  of  treason  to  be 
perpetrated  ? ' 

"  ^  General,'  I  said  ;  '  I  was  alone  and  unarmed  ; 
enfeebled  by  fatigue  and  want  of  rest ;  and,  although 
these  considerations  would  certainly  not  have  deterred 
me  had  I  for  an  instant  imagined  the  use  for  which 
those  signals  were  designed,  still,  you  have  seen  the 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  105 

man  to  whom  I  should  have  been  opposed  ;  and  when 
you  remember  that  he  was  desperate,  and  moreover  in 
possession  of  tlie  formidable  weapon  with  which,  as  I 
liave  had  the  honor  of  informing  you,  he  subsequently 
threatened  my  life,  you  may  rest  assured  that  the  result 
of  the  struggle  would  not  long  have  been  doubtful ; 
while  it  could  only  have  involved  me  in  a  suspicion  by 
which  my  memory  would  have  been  dishonored  forever.' 

"*You  are  an  able  logician,  sir;'  said  the  count 
thoughtfully;  *and  your  antecedents  compel  me  to 
admit  your  reasons.  But  what  of  this  young  girl  who 
was  aiding  and  abetting  the  villainy  of  her  grand- 
father V 

"  *  Meta,  General ;'  I  replied  steadily ;  *  was  the  mere 
victim  of  the  old  man's  tyranny,  and  shrank  before  his 
very  look  with  terror.  She  is  still  too  young,  too  timid, 
and  too  gentle  to  hate  any  one — even  the  enemies  of 
her  countr}\' 

"  The  old  smile  again  wandered  over  the  hard  fea- 
tures of  the  count.  'The  picture  you  have  drawn  is  a 
pleasant  one ;'  he  said  archly ;  *  and  if  I  mistake  not, 
the  favor  you  have  come  to  ask  is  to  be  permitted  to 
continue  your  protection  to  this  young,  timid,  and 
gentle  victim?' 

"  '  IN^ot  precisely,  General ;  for  such  is  my  esteem  for 
the  poor  friendless  girl,  that  in  coming  myself  to  de- 
nounce her,  I  felt  it  due  to  my  own  sense  of  honor  to 
share  with  her  the  consequences  of  my  proceeding. 
Yesterday  I  made  her  my  wife.' 

"  '  Enough,  M.  "Wolmar  ;'  said  the  count ;  '  your  con- 
duct towards  jour  protegee  has  been  admirable  through- 
out.    Never  cease,  sir,  to  obey  the  dictates  of  your 

5-^ 


106  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

honor  as  you  have  hitherto  done.  You  have  proved 
yourself  a  faithful  friend  to  the  French  nation,  and  we 
owe  you  some  requital.  From  the  commencement  of 
the  siege  you  have  shrunk  neither  from  labor  nor  pri- 
vation ;  and  I  feel  convinced  that,  however  romantic 
this  affection  of  yours  may  appear  to  me,  you  would 
never  willingly  have  become  the  husband  of  a  spy 
who  was  seeking  to  destroy  us.  I  will  undertake  the 
management  of  this  business ;  let  your  wife  keep  out 
of  sight  for  a  time,  and  she  shall  not  be  disturbed.' 

"  I  bowed  my  thanks  ;  I  was  too  much  overcome  for 
speech. 

"  '  And  now  a  word  with  you,  old  comrade ;'  pursued 
the  General,  turning  towards  the  sergeant,  who  moved 
a  pace  forward  and  saluted  without  the  movement  of  a 
muscle ;  "I  have  done  one  act  of  justice,  but  that  is  no 
reason  that  another  should  remain  undone.  My  dis- 
patches will  be  forwarded  to  Paris  by  the  next  courier ; 
and  I  trust  that  before  many  weeks  are  at  an  end,  I 
shall  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  cross  for  which 
I  have  applied,  resting  upon  as  brave  a  heart  as  ever 
beat  within  the  breast  of  a  French  soldier.' 

"  Larive  expressed  his  acknowledgments,  not  volubly, 
but  with  a  certain  sense  of  dignity  which  sat  well  upon 
the  gallant  veteran ;  and  if  he  did  terminate  his 
assurances  that  he  would  live  and  die  for  his  general 
with  an  oath  that  was  more  sonorous  than  courtly,  it 
evidently  did  not  excite  the  displeasure  of  the  count,  to 
whom  such  expletives  from  the  lips  of  his  favorite 
follower  were  probably  by  no  means  a  novelty. 

"  Having  at  last  recovered  my  voice,  I  endeavored  in 
my  turn  to  convince  the  General  how  deeply  I  was 


PETER  THE  FISHERMAN.  107 

impressed  by  his  kindness ;  and  having  received  his 
renewed  assumnces  ihat  I  need  be  under  no  anxiety 
wliatever,  either  as  regarded  my  wife  or  myself,  I 
gratefully  took  my  leave,  followed  by  Larive,  who,  as 
I  soon  discovered,  was  a  great  deal  more  gratified  by 
his  promised  decoration  than  he  would  sufi'er  even  his 
commander  to  imagine. 

"  When  we  had  reached  the  street  I  embraced  the 
good  sergeant  fervently,  declaring  that  I  was  the  hap- 
piest being  upon  earth. 

"  *  And  I  then  ?'  he  exclaimed,  grasping  my  hand  as 
tightly  as  though  it  had  been  in  a  vice  ;  '  and  I  then, 
Papa  ?  1  could  not  let  him  see  how  proud  I  was  of  my 
cross ;  for  he  might  think,  should  I  help  him  a  second 
time,  that  I  was  looking  out  for  another  recompense ; 
but  I  am  proud  of  it ;  and  I  have  a  right  to  be  so.  No 
oftence  to  you,  Papa,  but  every  man  can  have  a 
wife  for  asking,  while  every  man  cannot  have  a  cross.' 

"  '  True,  my  good  friend  ;'  I  replied,  surprised  by  the 
deep  emotion  of  the  ordinarily  phlegmatic  veteran ; 
'  but  you  must  forgive  me  if  I  remind  you  that  you  do 
not  yet  possess  your  well-earned  decoration,  while  I  am 
already  in  full  possession  of  my  wife ;  so  you  must  let 
me  go  home  without  further  delay,  that  she  may  par- 
ticipate in  my  happiness.' 

'"Go — go;'  exclaimed  Larive,  recovering  his  gaiety 
as  suddenly  as  he  had  lost  it ;  *  Let  our  comrades  laugh 
as  they  like,  the  boys  of  the  battalion  will  not  long  be 
the  only  ones  who  call  you  Papa.' 

"  I  sprang  away  and  left  him. 

"  The  General  kept  his  word ;  in  a  few  days  no  one 
mentioned  the  accomplices  of  the  Russian  spy;  and 


108        EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

when  the  city  was  evacuated  I  announced  my  mar- 
riage. 

"  Before  the  French  troops  marched  out  I  had  the 
gratification  of  seeing  the  red  ribbon  on  the  uniform- 
coat  of  my  friend,  the  sergeant ;  while,  as  regards  my- 
self, if  it  will  at  all  interest  you  to  know  the  result  of 
my  adventure,  I  can  only  assure  you  that  for  the  last 
eighteen  years  I  have  had  no  desire  unsatisfied ;  and 
that  the  prophecy  of  Larive  has  been  fulfilled  to  the 
letter." 


CHAPTEE  yill. 

THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEKOE. 

Everybody  knows  that  it  was  Barras  who  induced 
Josephine  de  Beauharnais  to  become  the  wife  of  Gene- 
ral Bonaparte ;  and  it  is  equally  patent  that  she  was 
only  persuaded  to  do  so  by  the  stringent  representations 
which  he  made  to  her  of  her  comparative  poverty,  and 
the  duty  that  she  owed  to  her  fatherless  children. 
That  wounded  vanity  tended  in  no  slight  degree  to 
render  her  averse  to  receiving  a  husband  at  the  hands 
of  the  man  who  had  so  recently  professed  himself  her 
slave,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  but  in  all  afiairs  of  the 
heart  Barras  had  constantly  been  eminently  practical. 
He  therefore  attempted  no  display  of  sentiment  when 
she  reproached  him  with  what  she  designated  as  his 
perfidy ;  and,  with  the  ready  tears  for  which  she  was 
celebrated,  recalled  to  his  mind*  the  happy  nioftths  of 


THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEROR.      109 

their  residence  at  the  Chateau  de8  Eguillades  where, 
basking  beneath  a  southern  sun,  in  the  midst  of  a  mag- 
nificent landscape,  and  overlooking  the  sun-flashing 
waves  of  the  blue  Mediterranean,  they  had  forgotten  all 
save  each  other. 

Tliose  months  were  past  and  gone ;  that  dream  was 
over;  and  if  the  fair  widow  loved  to  recall  it,  the 
awakening  of  the  statesman  had  delivered  him  alto- 
gether from  the  thrall ;  and  thus  it  chanced  that  Barras, 
having  given  liis  heart  for  the  time  being  into  the 
keeping  of  Madame  Tallien,  was  anxious  to  dispose  of 
the  hand  of  Madame  de  Beauharnais  on  the  first  favor- 
able opportunity  which  might  present  itself;  nor  had 
he  long  to  wait. 

Some  months  before  the  return  of  Josephine  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Marseilles,  and  her  establishment  in 
Paris,  General  Bonaparte — after  the  affair  of  OUioules 
where  he  was  a  simple  lieutenant  of  artillery — had  l^en 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  (in  which  grade  he 
served  at  the  siege  of  Toulon),  and  subsequently  invested 
with  the  command  of  the  army  in  Holland ;  but  had 
received  a  counter-order  from  Barras,  with  the  appoint- 
ment of  Lieutenant-Commandant  of  the  garrison  of 
Paris ;  his  courage,  military  skill,  and  strategy  before 
the  walls  of  Toulon  having  deeply  impressed  the  latter, 
who  felt  that  the  moment  had  arrived  in  which  the  firm 
and  unscrupulous  ambition  of  such  a  man  as  Bonaparte 
was  essential  to  the  success  of  his  own  projects. 

The  manner  in  which  the  young  adventurer  served 
the  interests  of  the  Convention  on  the  otli  of  October, 
1795,  sufliced  to  convince  Barras  that  he  had  been 
right  in  his  conclusions.     The  Corsican  exile  had  no 


110  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  companctiious  visitings  of  conscience  "  where  lie  saw 
a  prospect  of  furthering  his  own  fortunes ;  and  even  as 
he  had  done  at  Ollioules  so  did  he  in  the  Rue  St. 
Honore,  where  his  deadly  battery  commanded  the 
church  of  St.  Eoch,  the  rallying  point  of  the  people ; 
and  where  12,000  men  fell  before  his  cannon. 

Twelve  thousand  lives  were  sacrificed  by  the  authority 
of  a  mere  youth ;  but  the  Convention  was  saved  ;  and 
Barras  was  thenceforward  his  avowed  protector ;  while 
the  first-fruits  of  that  protection  were  his  appointment 
as  General  of  Division. 

The  Convention  was  saved ;  and  Paris  no  longer 
required  the  presence  or  services  of  General  Bonaparte  ; 
who  had,  moreover,  during  the  struggle  of  the  5th  of 
October,  indulged  in  an  independence  of  action,  so 
undisguised,  that  it  reduced  his  commanding  officer  to 
a  mere  cipher  in  the  eyes  of  his  own  soldiers  ;  and, 
happy  as  Barras  had  felt  at  the  successful  issue  of  the 
day,  he  was  nevertheless  conscious  that  his  own  position 
throughout  the  whole  affair  had  been  the  reverse  of 
dignified.  He  consequently  found  no  difficulty  in  con- 
vincing himself  that  Bonaparte  might  serve  the  Kepub- 
lic  more  efficiently  elsewhere  than  within  the  walls  of 
Paris  ;  and  he  had  scarcely  come  to  this  conclusion, 
when  he  arrived  at  another  equally  luminous. 

The  young  Corsican  was  a  soldier  of  fortune,  who 
had  walked  the  streets  of  Paris  for  months  without  an 
aim  or  a  hope — indebted  to  a  college  friend  both  for 
the  coat  he  wore,  and  the  bread  with  which  he  broke 
his  fast — Madame  de  Beauharnais  had  been  enabled, 
through  the  good  offices  of  Tallien,  to  recover  a  portion 
of  her  late  husband's  property ;  and   could   he  only 


THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEROR.       Ill 

induce  Bonaparte  to  marry  her — but  we  will  not  follow 
him  in  his  deductions ;  let  it  suffice  that  after  mature 
deliberation  he  spoke  to  his  protege  upon  the  subject, 
who  evinced  as  little  inclination  as  Josephine  herself  to 
the  marriage  which  was  proposed  to  him.  lie  had 
been  presented  to  Madame  de  Beauharnais  in  the  salon 
of  Madame  Tallien,  where  he  was  enabled  to  contrast 
her  soft  and  indolent  grace  with  the  more  striking, 
but  less  fascinating  beauty  of  her  magnilicent  friend, 
and  that  of  all  the  loveliest  women  under  the  Directory, 
the  fame  of  whose  personal  perfections  has  been 
handed  down  to  \is  by  the  memoii*8  of  the  period  ; 
many  of  whom,  having  shared  the  captivity  and  suffer- 
ings of  Josephine,  now  enjoyed  in  her  society  the  safety 
for  which  they  had  paid  so  high  a  price. 

The  favor  of  Barras,  coupled  with  the  bold  exploit  of 
the  Rue  St.  Honore,  had  caused  the  name  of  Bonaparte 
to  be  familiar,  and  his  presence  to  be  coveted,  by  all 
which  at  that  time  constituted  the  fashionable  world  of 
Paris ;  nor  was  it  long  ere  he  became  a  constant  guest 
in  the  modest  drawing-room  of  Josephine ;  where  he 
found  temporary  repose  for  his  eager  spirit  in  listening 
to  her  low  musical  voice,  and  watching  the  furtive 
glances  of  her  downcast  eyes ;  but  that  was  all.  ]^o 
thought  of  her  as  a  wife  had  ever  crossed  his  mind. 
He  was  wedded  to  his  ambition  ;  and  even  while  he 
admired,  he  remained  heart-whole.  There  were,  more- 
over, other  circumstances  which,  to  a  proud  and  aspir- 
ing spirit  like  his,  sufficed  to  keep  his  feelings  within 
the  boundaries  of  friendship  and  regard  ;  and  he  started 
like  a  war-horse  at  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  when  Bar- 
ras abruptly  proposed  that  he  should  offer  her  his  hand. 


112  EPISODES   OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

"  I  want  no  wife  save  this,"  he  said,  as  he  struck  the 
hilt  of  his  sword  ;  "  and  even  were  it  otherwise  " — 

"  Listen  to  me,"  interposed  his  patron :  "  You  are 
brave,  but  you  are  poor ;  and  this  widow  of  the  Mar- 
quis de  Beauharnais,  although  far  from  possessing 
the  fortune  to  which,  under  other  circumstances,  she 
must  have  succeeded,  is  yet  in  a  position  to  advance 
your  fortune,  and  to  secure  your  career.  You  are  a 
foreigner  and  an  exile ;  while  she  is  highly  connected, 
and  has  influential  friends,  who  will  not  fail  to  exert  all 
their  energies  to  serve  the  man  who  may  become  her 
husband.     You  will  do  well  to  remember  this." 

The  young  general  remained  silent. 

"  Hear  what  I  have  further  to  say,"  pursued  the  com- 
mandant of  Paris.  "  We  are,  as  you  know,  preparing 
to  send  an  army  into  Italy.  Marry  Madame  de  Beau- 
harnais, and  I  will  secure  to  you  the  command  of  that 
army ;  when  it  will  be  your  own  fault  if  you  do  not 
become  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  Hepublic' 

A  flush  passed  over  the  face  of  Bonaparte. 

"  Decide,"  continued  Barras,  ''  as  you  think  proper. 
With  the  wife  I  have  proposed  to  you,  I  pledge  myself 
that  you  shall  be  General-in-Chief  of  the  forces  of 
France  beyond  the  Alps ;  decline  the  marriage,  and  I 
leave  you  to  work  out  your  own  destiny." 

We  all  know  the  result  'of  that  conversation.  The 
bribe  was  too  tempting  to  be  resisted ;  while  Josephine 
proved  no  less  yielding.  Assailed  on  all  sides  by  assur- 
ances that  not  not  only  her  own  interests,  but  also 
those  of  her  children,  were  involved  in  her  compliance 
with  the  wishes  of  Barras,  she  finally  consented  to  be- 
come the  wife  of  Bonaparte,  who,  for  a  short  time, 


THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEROR.      113 

proved  the  most  devoted  of  suitors,  and  the  most  uxo- 
rious of  husbands. 

The  marriage  was  no  sooner  decided  on  than  the 
republican  General,  asserting  his  privilege  as  an  ac- 
cepted lover,  frequently  accompanied  his  fair  betrothed 
to  the  houses  of  their  mutual  friends ;  or  sauntered 
with  her  along  the  stately  terraces  of  the  Tuileries,  and 
amid  the  leafy  shades  of  the  Bois  de  Boulogne ;  while 
if  the  heart  of  Josephine  remained  for  awhile  untouched, 
her  vanity  was  less  passive ;  and  as  she  listened  to  the 
glowing  prophecies  of  the  ardent  young  soldier  upon 
whose  arm  she  leant,  she  began  to  indulge  in  the  same 
visions,  and  to  glory  in  the  same  hopes.  On  one  occa- 
sion she  requested  him  to  accompany  her  to  the  resi- 
dence of  M.  Raguideau,  an  old  lawyer  in  whom  she 
had  long  been  accustomed  to  confide,  and  to  whom  she 
was  anxious  to  reveal  the  forthcoming  change  in  her 
destiny. 

On  their  arrival,  they  were  informed  by  the  clerks 
in  the  outer  office  that  M.  Raguideau  was  in  his  private 
room  ;  and  Josephine,  withdrawing  her  hand  from  the 
arm  of  Bonaparte,  begged  him  to  await  her  there  for  a 
few  minutes,  while  she  had  a  private  interview  with 
her  friend.  As  she  disappeared,  however,  she  neglected 
to  close  the  door  behind  her,  and  from  the  chair  upon 
which  he  seated  himself,  her  intended  husband  was 
able  to  overhear,  without  losing  a  single  word,  the 
whole  of  their  conversation. 

"  M.  Raguideau,"  commenced  Madame  de  Beauhar- 
nais,  "  I  have  come  to  inform  you  of  my  approaching 
marriage." 

"Your  marriage,  Madame!"  was  the  astonished 
reply ;  "  and  with  whom  ? " 


114  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  A  few  days  hence  I  shall  be  the  wife  of  General 
Bonaparte." 

*'  What  I  The  widow  of  one  soldier,  yon  are  about 
to  marry  another.  General  Bonaparte,  do  you  say? 
Ah,  yes,  I  remember ;  the  commandant  of  the  army  of 
the  Interior ;  the  young  fellow  who  gave  a  lesson  to 
General  Cartaux  at  Toulon." 

"  The  same,  M.  Raguideau." 

"  Pshaw,  Madame  !  A  soldier  of  fortune,  who  has 
his  way  to  make." 

"  He  will  make  it,  my  good  friend." 

"  When,  and  how  ?  But  first,  what  is  he  worth  at 
present  ?" 

"  Nothing,  save  his  house  in  the  rue  Chantereine." 

"  A  shed — a —  And  so  you  are  really  going  to  marry 
this  adventurer  ?" 

"lam." 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  you,  Madame." 

"And  why?" 

"  Why  ?  Because  you  had  much  better  remain  a 
widow  than  marry  a  paltry  general,  without  either 
name  or  prospects.  You  must  assuredly  be  mad  I 
Will  your  Bonaparte  ever  be  a  Dnmouriez,  or  a 
Pichegru  ?  Will  he  ever  be  the  equal  of  our  great 
republican  generals?  I  have  a  right  to  doubt  it. 
Moreover,  let  me  tell  you  that  the  profession  of  arms 
is  worthless  now  ;  and  I  would  much  rather  know  that 
you  were  about  to  marry  an  army-contractor  than  any 
military  man  in  France." 

"  Every  one  to  his  taste.  Monsieur  ;"  said  Josephine, 
stung  by  the  contemptuous  tone  in  which  he  had 
spoken :  "  you,  it  would  appear,  regard  marriage 
merely  as  an  affair  of  finance." 


THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEROR.      115 

"  And  you,  Madame ;"  broke  in  the  excited  and 
angry  old  man  ;  "  you  8co  in  it  only  a  matter  of  senti- 
ment, and  what  you  no  doubt  call  love ;  is  not  that 
what  you  were  about  to  say  ?  Again  I  repeat,  all  the 
worse  for  you,  Madame  ;  all  the  worse  for  you.  I  had 
given  you  more  credit  for  goo<l  sense  than  to  suspect 
that  you  would  allow  yourself  to  be  dazzled  by  a  pair 
of  gold  epaulettes.  Reflect  before  you  make  such  a 
sacrifice ;  for  rest  assured  that,  if  you  are  rash  enough 
to  pei*sist  in  this  foolish  scheme,  you  will  repent  your 
folly  all  the  days  of  your  life.  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
rational  woman  throwing  herself  away  upon  a  man 
whose  whole  fortune  consists  in  his  sword  and  his  great- 
coat !" 

Wliile  listening  to  this  extraordinary  dialogue,  Bona- 
parte, who  began  to  fear  that  the  comments  and  advice 
of  Raguideau  might  militate  against  his  marriage,  was 
half  suffocated  with  rage  and  impatience ;  he  writhed 
upon  his  seat,  and  was  a  score  of  times  on  the  point  of 
showing  himself,  and  desiring  the  officious  lawyer  to 
attend  to  his  leases  and  lawsuits  instead  of  interfering 
in  matters  with  which  he  had  no  right  to  intermeddle. 
As  he  heard  the  words  "  sword  and  great-coat "  so  dis- 
dainfully uttered,  he  sprang  from  his  chair,  his  eyes 
flashed,  and,  regardless  of  the  gaze  of  the  astonished 
clerks  who  were  watching  all  his  movements,  he 
advanced  towards  the  door  beside  which  he  had  been 
sitting.  Fortunately,  however,  the  fear  of  exposing 
himself  to  ridicule  restrained  him  ;  and  he  returned  to 
his  seat  indignant  at  his  own  weakness. 

A  few  minutes  afterwards  Josephine  appeared,  evi- 
dently ruffled  and  annoyed,  and  followed  by  the  old 


116  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY.' 

lawyer  who  accompanied  her  to  the  head  of  the  stairs  ; 
where  Bonaparte,  drawing  the  hand  of  his  betrothed 
bride  once  more  through  his  arm,  made  him  a  silent 
and  contemptuous  bow. 

As  they  proceeded  towards  home,  Madame  de  Beau- 
harnais  was  conscious  that  Bonaparte  had  never  before 
been  so  tender  or  so  assiduous,  but  she  did  not  open 
her  lips  upon  the  subject  of  her  conference  with  her 
old  and  confidential  friend ;  while  he  on  his  side  pre- 
served the  same  silence ;  nor  was  it  until  the  day  of  the 
Coronation  that  either  Josephine  or  Raguideau  had  the 
slightest  suspicion  that  their  conversation  had  been 
overheard  by  the  very  person  whom  it  most  inte- 
rested. 

Years  went  by;  the  Italian  campaigns  and  the 
Egyptian  victories  had  aggrandized  the  "  mere 
general ;"  and  then  came  the  eighteenth  Brumaire ; 
and  subsequently  Bonaparte,  not  satisfied  with  the 
Life-Consulate,  dreamt  of  an  Empire ;  while  the  French 
nation,  when  called  npon  to  express  its  opinion  on  this 
momentous  question,  replied  by  nearly  four  millions  of 
written  adhesions,  not  only  to  the  Empire  itself,  but  to 
the  extraordinary  man  by  whom  it  had  been  suggested. 

The  Emperor  Napoleon  was  to  be  crowned ;  and  the 
Pope  left  the  Holy  City  for  Paris  in  order  to  perform 
the  ceremony. 

On  the  day  of  the  Coronation,  as  he  was  about  to 
proceed  to  the  Archbishop's  palace,  Napoleon  appeared 
to  remember  for  the  first  time  the  existence  of  Raffui- 
deau ;  and  after  having  left  his  private  apartments,  as 
he  was  pacing  up  and  down  the  throne-room,  he  sud- 
denly paused  in  his  walk,  and  summoning  by  a  gesture 


THE  GENKRili  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  117 

one  of  his  cbamberlains,  he  desired  that  M.  Raguideau 
the  lawyer  might  be  immediately  sent  for. 

When  informed  that  the  Emperor  desired  his  attend- 
ance at  the  Tuileries,  and  that^  moreover,  on  the  very 
day  of  his  Coronation,  the  man  of  business  was  lost  in 
wonder,  not  being  able  to  conjecture  for  an  instant 
the  motive  of  so  abrupt  a  summons.  When  he  had 
reached  the  palace  and  had  traversed  several  apart- 
ments full  of  mirrors  and  gilding,  and  crowded  with 
Marshals,  Ministers  of  State,  and  Grand  Officers  of  the 
Empire,  he  was  ushered  into  a  saloon  where  Napoleon 
was  conversing  with  Josephine  while  awaiting  him. 

"  Ah  I  Here  you  are  at  last,  M.  Raguideau ;"  said 
Napoleon  half  smiling ;  "  I  am  very  happy  to  see  you." 

usire— " 

"  My  good  sir;"  pursued  tlie  Emperor,  without  giv- 
ing him  time  to  reply ;  "  do  you  remember  a  day  in 
1796  when  I  accompanied  to  your  house  Madame  de 
Beauhai-nais,  now  Empress  of  the  French?"  and  he 
emphasised  the  word  Empress  with  all  the  depth  of  his 
finely-modulated  voice ;  "  Do  you  remember  the  eulogy 
which  you  uttered  on  the  military  profession  ?  and  the 
pei*sonal  panegyric  of  which  /was  the  object?  Weill 
what  say  you  now  ?  Were  you  a  true  prophet  ?  You 
declared  that  my  fortune  would  always  consist  of  my 
sword  and  my  great-coat — that  I  should  never  make  a 
name  or  a  position  like  Dumouriez  or  Pichegru — and 
that  Madame  de  Beauharnais  was  insane  to  sacrifice 
herself  to  a  *mere  general.'  I  have  made  my  way, 
nevertheless,  as  you  perceive  ;  and  in  despite  of  your 
sagacious  predictions.  Tliink  you  that  the  '  army  con- 
tractor' would  have  bestowed  a  brighter  boon  upon  his 


118  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

wife  after  eight  years  of  marriage,  tlian  a  crown  ;  and 
that  crown  the  Imperial  diadem  of  France  ?" 

As  he  ceased  speaking,  l^apoleon  raised  the  hand  of 
Josephine  to  his  lips ;  while  she  sat  silent  and  motion- 
less, bewildered  by  so  unexpected  a  scene. 

Stupefied  by  this  deluge  of  questions,  every  one  of 
which  conveyed  a  covert  rebuke,  the  unfortunate  lawyer 
could  only  stammer  out  a  few  disjointed  words  ;  his 
legs  trembled  under  him  ;  his  eyes  were  riveted  upon 
the  floor ;  and  the  Emperor  stood  by,  evidently  enjoy- 
ing his  discomfiture.  "  Sire,  I  could  not  foresee — Sire, 
did  you  really  overhear — ?" 

"  Every  word,  M.  Raguideau.  You  are  aware  that 
walls  have  ears,  and  I  owe  you  a  severe  reprisal ;  for  if 
my  excellent  Josephine  had  listened  to  your  advice  it 
would  have  cost  her  a  throne  and  me  the  best  of  wives. 
You  are  a  great  culprit,  M.  Ragnideau." 

At  the  words  "  reprisal "  and  "  culprit,"  the  poor  old 
man  became  more  agitated  than  ever,  the  blood  forsook 
his  face,  and  he  trembled  in  every  limb  :  "  How  could 
I  tell? — How  could  I  guess — ?"  he  gasped  out;  "I 
thought  only  of  her — of  her  fatherless  children — I  had 
loved  them  for  years — I  was  anxious  to  see  them  once 
more  restored  to  prosperity  and  happiness — " 

"  I  believe  you ;"  said  the  Emperor,  touched  by  the 
emotion  of  the  grey-headed  confidant  of  his  wife  ;  '*  you 
could  not  tell — you  could  not  guess — "  and  for  a  mo- 
ment he  paused,  and  remained  absorbed  in  thought ; 
"  The  future  is  beyond  the  grasp  of  any  living  man,  so 
now  we  will  return  to  the  present;  and  as  I  cannot 
altogether  overlook  the  injury  which  you  sought  to 
inflict  upon  me,  I  condemn  you  to  go  this  day  to  Notre 


THE  GENERAL  AND  THE  EMPEROR.      119 

Darae  and  to  witness  the  ceremony  of  my  Coronation. 
Not  in  a  corner — not  behind  a  pillar,  which  will  pre- 
vent my  having  ocular  evidence  of  your  obedience — 
but  in  the  seat  that  I  shall  cause  to  be  retained  for  you. 
Do  you  hear,  sir  ?  I  must  see  you  both  in  the  cathedral, 
and  in  the  line  of  the  procession." 

Once  more  able  to  breathe  freely,  and  endeavoring 
to  express  alike  his  gratitude  and  his  joy,  Raguideau 
bowed  himself  from  the  room,  and  hastened  home  to 
prepare  himself  for  the  august  ceremony,  at  which  he 
had  been  commanded  to  assist ;  while  Napoleon,  after 
liaving  jested  for  a  few  minutes  with  his  wife  over  the 
consternation  of  her  far-sighted  counsellor,  entered  his 
carriage  in  the  court  of  the  Tuileries,  and  proceeded  to 
the  Archbishopric.  Ten  o'clock  was  just  striking  from 
the  clock  of  the  palace,  and  a  salute  of  artillery  an- 
nounced the  departure  of  the  Emperor ;  while,  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  subsequently,  a  second  salute  gave 
notice  of  his  arrival  at  the  Archbishopric. 

As  he  left  the  cathedral.  Napoleon  recognised  the  old 
lawyer  in  the  crowd  ;  and  when  their  eyes  met,  he 
smiled  graciously,  and  the  smile  was  answered  by  so 
profound  a  bow  that,  as  he  afterwards  laughingly  de- 
clared to  the  Empress,  he  was  for  several  seconds  in 
doubt  whether  the  prophet  of  1796  would  ever  again 
be  enabled  to  resume  the  perpendicular. 


120  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


OF   SWEDEN. 


On  the  assassination  of  Gustavus  III.,  King  of 
Sweden,  the  regency  of  the  kingdom,  in  consequence 
of  the  extreme  youth  of  his  successor  who  had  only  just 
attained  his  fourteenth  year,  was  confided  to  the  bro- 
ther of  the  late  monarch,  Charles,  Duke  of  Sudermania, 
who  ably  fulfilled  the  duties  of  his  somewhat  onerous 
position  until  his  nephew  had  attained  his  majority; 
when,  withdrawing  altogether  from  public  afi'airs,  he 
retired  to  his  own  estates,  where  he  devoted  himself  to 
study  and  agriculture. 

It  was  an  evil  day  for  Sweden  on  which  he  resigned 
the  reins  of  government,  and  was  replaced  by  the 
young  sovereign,  Gustavus  Adolphus  ;  whose  reckless 
rule,  combined  with  his  hatred  of  the  French  Emperor, 
with  whom  he  was  unable  to  cope,  involved  the  country 
in  perpetual  disasters ;  and  who  at  length  found  him- 
self despoiled  of  Finland  by  Russia,  and  of  Stralsund 
and  Rugen,  by  France  ;  while,  as  if  voluntarily  to  com- 
plicate his  difiiculties,  he  excited  the  indignation  of  his 
subjects  by  causelessly  disbanding  his  body-guard, 
which  was  exclusively  composed  of  the  native  nobility. 
Weary  of  the  rule  of  a  prince  who  sacrificed  the  inter- 


CHARLES  JOHN  BERNADOTTE.         121 

ests  of  his  people  to  his  own  senseless  caprices,  and  who 
was  unworthy  of  the  throne  he  filled,  the  nation  unani- 
mously demanded  of  the  great  nobles  that  they  should 
deliver  them  from  the  sway  of  a  monarch  incompetent 
to  reign  over  a  free  people.  A  conspiracy  was  con- 
sequently formed  against  him  ;  and  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1809,  he  was  compelled  to  abdicate. 

Gustavus  rV.  had  married  the  Princess  Frederica- 
Dorothea-Wilhelmina  of  Baden,  and  was  the  father  of 
two  princes,  who,  by  the  popular  voice,  were  excluded 
from  the  succession,  while  the  crown  was  placed  upon 
the  head  of  the  Duke  of  Sudermania,  the  late  regent, 
subsequently  known  as  Charles  XIII.  The  new  sove- 
reign, being  childless,  was  compelled  by  the  nation  to 
make  choice  of  an  heir,  who,  at  the  period  of  his  adoption, 
was  to  be  legitimated  by  the  sanction  of  the  States ;  and  he 
accordingly  selected  Prince  Christian  Augustus  of  Hol- 
stein-Augustenburg,  whose  sudden  death  about  a  year 
subsequently  still  remains  an  unsolved  historical  problem. 

It  would  perhaps  have  been  more  worthy  of  a  great 
and  generous  nation,  after  this  fatal  event,  to  have  re- 
called— ^not  the  dethroned  monarch,  who  had  proved 
himself  unworthy  of  their  confidence,  but  his  eldest 
son,  a  high-hearted  and  noble  young  man,  who  would 
doubtless  have  retrieved  all  the  errors  of  his  father; 
but  the  Swedes  had  not  yet  either  forgotten  or  forgiven 
those  errors,  and  the  States  consequently  decided  that 
after  the  demise  of  Charles  XIII.  (one  of  whose  first 
cares  it  had  been  on  his  accession  to  conclude  a  peace 
with  France),  the  crown  of  Sweden  should  be  bestowed 
upon  an  illustrious  soldier,  whose  military  renown  was 
second  only  to  that  of  N'apoleon  himself. 

6 


122  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

The  recipient  was  worthy  of  the  boon.  Charles 
John  Bernadotte,  the  son  of  a  country  attorney,  born 
in  an  obscure  town,  and,  apparently,  to  the  humblest 
fortune,  was  one  of  nature's  own  nobility.  He  had 
already  proved  himself  to  be  not  merely  a  great  cap- 
tain, but  also  an  able  diplomatist :  he  was,  in  short, 
everything  but  a  courtier  ;  a  fact  to  which  he  probably 
owed  the  facility  with  which  lie  was  permitted  by  his 
Imperial  master  to  take  possession  of  a  throne. 

Like  all  individuals  elevated  beyond  their  wildest 
expectations,  the  Corsican  Emperor  was  greedy  of 
adulation ;  while  Bernadotte,  aware  how  frequently 
circumstances  form  the  man,  felt  within  himself  that 
consciousness  of  mental  and  moral  equality  with  his 
military  rival,  which  caused  his  head  to  remain  erect 
when  his  back  should  have  been  bowed ;  and  his  voice 
to  be  heard,  when  he  should,  according  to  court 
etiquette,  and  above  all  to  the  etiquette  of  a  court  so 
recently  formed  that  its  disjecta  menibra  had  not  yet 
effected  the  co-efficacy  necessary  to  its  dignity, — have 
remained  silent. 

The  European  powers,  however,  looked  with  consi- 
derable distrust  upon  a  decision  which  placed  the  crown 
of  such  a  kingdom  as  Sweden  upon  the  brow  of  a  sim- 
ple citizen ;  but  they  were  compelled  to  yield  before 
the  fiat  of  the  States  and  people,  who  had  unanimously 
declared  in  his  favor ;  and  Charles  John  had  already 
won  golden  opinions  from  his  future  subjects,  when  an 
incident  occurred  which  threatened  to  involve  the 
country  in  far  deeper  mourning  than  the  death  of  the 
Danish  prince,  his  predecessor. 

At  the  period  of  his  enforced  abdication,  Gustavus 


CHARLES  JOHN  BERNADOTTE.  123 

IV.  had  assumed  the  title  of  Count  of  Holst^in-Gottorp, 
and  had  gone  to  reside  in  Germany  with  his  sons  ;  but, 
from  some  unexplained  cause,  his  wife,  the  ex-queen 
Dorothea,  had  not  accompanied  him  in  his  exile.  She 
still  remained  in  Sweden,  where  her  presence  tended 
greatly  to  embarrass  tlie  old  king  her  uncle,  without  at 
all  contributing  to  the  embellishment  of  his  court. 

A  recluse  in  her  own  palace  she  seldom  appeared  in 
public,  even  when  her  presence  was  exacted  by  the 
rules  of  etiquette ;  and  it  was  only  on  very  rare  occa- 
sions that  she  consented  to  receive  visitors  in  the  per- 
sons of  such  of  the  higher  Swedish  nobles  and  their 
wives  as  did  not  fear  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the 
prince-royal ;  while  towards  these  she  exhibited  so 
much  cold  and  haughty  stateliness  that  they  rarely 
intruded  on  her  privacy. 

Anxious  to  ameliorate  the  position  of  his  niece, 
Charles  XUI.  urged  her  to  forget  the  past,  with  all  its 
blighted  ambition  and  ruined  hopes;  or  at  least  to 
control  her  grief,  and  to  receive  the  prince  whom  the 
will  of  a  free  people  had  called  to  the  throne.  For  a 
time  she  reftised  to  make  such  a  concession,  and  declared 
that  the  usiirper  should  never,  so  long  as  she  had  life 
to  prevent  it,  penetrate  beneath  her  roof;  but  at  length, 
although  with  great  apparent  reluctance,  she  yielded 
to  the  entreaties  of  the  king;  and  an  invitation  was 
issued  to  the  whole  of  the  court  to  attend  a  tea-party, 
which  was,  according  to  custom,  to  be  preceded  by 
play. 

All  the  bidden  guests,  astonished  by  so  great  a 
novelty,  accordingly  assembled  in  the  saloons  of  the 
queen,   together  with  the   foreign    ambassadors   and 


124  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

nobles  who  chanced  to  be  at  that  period  residing  in 
the  capital.  The  king  alone  was  absent  from  severe 
indisposition ;  and  it  had  been  his  especial  request 
that  the  entertainment  should  not  be  postponed.  No- 
thing could  be  more  gracious  or  more  graceful  than 
the  reception  accorded  by  the  royal  hostess  to  her  dis- 
tinguished guests,  for  whom  the  most  brilliant  prepara- 
tions had  been  made ;  and  as  the  crowd  increased  the 
card-tables  were  rapidly  occupied,  while  the  whist- 
party  at  the  upper  end  of  the  state-saloon  was  com- 
posed of  Dorothea  herself,  Charles  John,  and  the  am- 
bassadors of  England  and  Russia. 

When  tea  was  at  length  announced,  that  of  Her 
Majesty  and  the  Prince-royal  was  served  apart,  upon 
a  magnificent  salver  of  chased  gold ;  upon  which  Doro- 
thea, as  if  to  do  greater  honor  to  her  visitor,  herself 
filled  the  two  cups  that  had  been  prepared  for  them, 
and  placing  them  upon  a  smaller  salver  near  her,  rose 
from  her  seat ;  and  suddenly  appearing  to  ignore  her 
exalted  rank,  and  the  extent  of  such  an  act  of  conde- 
scension, presented  it  with  her  own  hands  to  Berna- 
dotte.  Charles  John,  himself  all  trustfulness  and 
chivalry,  had  already  extended  his  hand  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  cup  which  was  nearest  to  him,  bowing 
low  as  he  did  so  in  acknowledgment  of  the  gracious 
courtesy  of  which  he  was  the  object,  when  he  felt  the 
pressure  of  a  finger  upon  his  shoulder.  Instantly  con- 
vinced that  the  touch  had  been  too  marked  for  the 
mere  effect  of  accident,  his  presence  of  mind  did  not 
forsake  him ;  but,  possessing  himself  of  the  salver  with 
an  inclination  still  more  profound  than  that  by  which 
it  had  been  preceded,  he  turned  it  so  adroitly  as  to 


CHARLES  JOHN  BKRNADOTTE.  125 

reverse  the  position  of  the  cups  without  appearing  con- 
scious of  the  movement ;  and  exclaimed  earnestly : — 

"Nay,  Madame,  I  cannot  permit  Your  Majesty  to 
perform  such  a  service  for  me.  I  were  unworthy  the 
name  of  a  Frenchnian  should  I  commit  so  gross  a  vio- 
lation, not  only  of  gallantry,  but  also  of  the  respect 
which  I  owe  to  your  sex  and  rank.  Rather  suffer  mo 
to  serve  Your  Majesty.  You  will  not,  I  feel  convinced, 
deny  me  so  proud  a  gratification." 

Tlie  lips  of  Dorothea  grew  livid  as  she  raised  her 
eyes  to  his  face,  where  they  only  met  a  calm  and  cour- 
teous smile ;  but  ere  long  they  fell  beneath  his  clear 
and  steady  gaae.  For  a  moment  she  hesitated — the 
dignity  of  the  queen  warred  for  an  instant  with  the 
weakness  of  the  woman — and  then  she  raised  the  fatal 
cup  with  a  steady  hand,  bowed  to  the  prince  with  a 
smile  as  placid  as  his  own,  and  drained  its  contents  to 
the  very  dregs. 

On  the  ensuing  day  the  Stockholm  Gazette  con- 
tained the  following  brief  announcement : — 

"  Queen  Dorothea  died  suddenly  during  the  night." 

Apoplexy  universally  assumes  the  responsibility  of 
such  deaths. 

Thus  much,  as  we  know,  is  certain ;  that  the  wife  of 
Gustavus  IV.  followed  Prince  Christian  de  Holstein- 
Augustenburg  to  the  grave;  and  that  Charles  John 
Bernadotte  lived  to  ascend  the  throne  of  Sweden, 


126  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 


CHAPTEK  X. 

THE   CAPTURE   OF  IVEijE. 

The  French  army  was  preparing  during  the  campaign 
of  1800  to  meet  the  Austrian  forces  under  the  Arch- 
duke Charles  in  the  plains  of  Italy,  and  was  traversing 
with  almost  incredible  difficulty  and  perseverance  the 
stupendous  line  of  the  Alps  which  extends  from  St. 
Bernard  to  Nice  and  Montenotte ;  encountering  hour 
by  hour  obstacles  so  formidable  that  neither  the  courage 
of  the  troops,  the  immense  resources  of  the  commissariat, 
nor  the  military  genius  of  their  leaders,  were  enabled 
entirely  to  overcome  them. 

Nothing  daunted,  however,  by  either  suffering  or 
fatigue,  they  toiled  on,  as  if  they  already  foresaw  that 
the  indomitable  will  of  their  General-in-Chief  was  des- 
tined to  make  them  masters  of  Milan  and  Turin,  to 
lead  them  to  Genoa,  and  to  dictate  his  own  terms  of 
peace  to  his  haughty  rival  on  the  battle-field  of  Marengo. 

Within  a  few  leagues  of  Milan,  in  a  hollow  between 
two  hills,  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Doria  Balthea, 
they  at  length  came  upon  the  little  town  and  fortress  of 
Ivree,  which  they  scarcely  anticipated  would  venture 
to  dispute  their  passage  even  for  an  instant,  its  fortifi- 
cations being  almost  nominal,  and  the  nature  of  its 
position  rendering  it  impossible  that  its  garrison  could 
sustain  a  regular  siege. 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  IVRKE.  127 

Tliey  were,  however,  in  error ;  courageous,  wonder- 
fully adroit,  and  fanatically  patriotic,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town,  and  the  troops  in  the  citadel,  consisting  only 
of  four  thousand  men  witli  twenty-five  guns,  held  the 
place  three  entire  days  against  an  army  of  thirty  thou- 
sand men,  commanded  by  three  of  the  youngest,  but 
already  three  of  the  best,  generals  in  Europe :  Berna- 
dotte,  Massena,  and  Lannes. 

Furious  to  find  himself  arrested  on  his  march  before 
so  insignificant  an  obstacle,  Bonaparte — who  had  taken 
Alexandria  in  a  day,  and  Cairo  in  an  hour — and  who 
was,  moreover,  anxious  to  possess  himself  of  a  position 
which  would  facilitate  his  operations  on  Milan,  issued 
an  order  for  the  division  under  Lannes  to  make  an 
attack  upon  the  town,  and  to  compel  a  surrender.  A 
battalion  of  tlie  22nd  demi-brigade,  led  by  General 
Cochet,  first  esc&laded  the  fortress,  and  carried  it  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet ;  when  the  French  no  sooner  found 
themselves  in  possession  of  the  fifteen  field-pieces  which 
had  defended  the  entrance  than  they  turned  them  upon 
the  town,  and  opened  for  their  legions  a  perilous,  but 
unobstructed  path,  along  which  they  boldly  advanced, 
singing  the  Marseillaise.  After  three  hours  of  a  strug- 
gle as  heroic  as  it  was  hopeless,  driven  from  the  citadel, 
decimated  in  the  streets  of  the  town,  shot  down  on  all 
sides  when  beyond  the  reach  of  their  enemies,  or  cut 
down  by  the  sabres  of  those  by  whom  they  were  over- 
taken in  their  flight,  a  few  of  the  Austrian  soldiers  and 
the  mere  handful  of  inhabitants  who  had  escaped  the 
carnage,  took  refuge  in  the  house  of  the  Austrian 
Adjutant-General,  resolved  to  hold  out  so  long  as  one 
of  them  should  be  left  alive. 


128  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTORY. 

In  a  few  instants  the  residence  of  the  brave  veteran 
was  transformed  into  an  actual  fortress :  loop-holes  were 
perforated  in  the  walls,  barricades  were  hastily  erected, 
and  every  energy  was  exerted  to  accomplish  an  effec- 
tive defence. 

Cochet  was  the  first  to  enter  Ivree,  but  he  was  closely 
followed  by  Lannes,  who  sent  an  officer  and  two  batta- 
lions of  the  22nd  to  force  the  position  of  the  enemy. 
We  refrain  from  naming  this  officer  out  of  respect  to 
his  family,  several  of  whose  members  have,  since  the 
event  which  we  are  about  to  record,  filled  with  honor  to 
themselves  an  elevated  rank  in  the  French  army ;  let 

it  suffice  that  Major  L ,  who  was  conspicuous  in 

the  Republican  forces  for  his  ferocity  and  headlong 
courage,  penetrated,  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  battalions 
(by  passing  over  the  bodies  of  the  forty  gallant  fellows 
by  whom  his  entrance  was  opposed),  into  the  house  of 
the  Austrian  General.  This  dauntless  man,  after  having 
seen  all  his  little  garrison  fall  and  expire  around  him, 
had  armed  himself  with  a  hatchet,  which  he  wielded 
with  superhuman  energy  against  his  advancing  foes ; 

and  as  Major  L appeared  at  the  door  of  the  room 

where  he  had  taken  up  his  last  post,  he  aimed  so  furious 
a  blow  at  his  head  with  the  formidable  weapon  to 
which  his  hand  had  already  become  accustomed,  that 
had  not  the  wary  officer  adroitly  struck  it  aside  with 
his  sword,  it  must  have  felled  him  to  the  earth.  It  was 
his  closing  effort,  however  ;  in  the  next  instant  he  fell, 
and  the  apartment  was  invaded  by  the  French  soldiery. 

Major  L ,  who  had  never  during  his  fifteen  years 

of  military  service  given  quarter  to  an  enemy,  was 
already  advancing  towards  the  veteran-  to  complete  his 


THB  CAPTURB  OF  IVr6e.  129 

work  of  blood,  when  a  young  and  singularly  beautiful 
woman  rushed  out  of  a  neighboring  chamber ;  and, 
falling  at  his  feet,  and  clinging  to  his  knees,  pale,  dis- 
hevelled, writhing,  and  almost  insane,  shrieked  out  in 
a  voice  of  terror  and  despair,  from  which  all  the  tender- 
ness of  the  woman  and  the  wife  had  disappeared : — 

**  Mercy  1  Mercy  1  Do  not  kill  him.  He  is  my  hus- 
band, and  the  father  of  my  child." 

Tlio  Republican  officer  looked  down  upon  her  with- 
out pity  or  emotion. 

What  had  he  to  do  with  the  agonies  and  the  outcries 
of  a  woman  ?  In  a  second  he  had  thrust  her  violently 
from  him  ;  and  taking  one  step  forward,  had  fired  his 
pistol  at  the  head  of  the  gray-haired  veteran. 

The  discharge  of  the  weapon  was  echoed  by  a  cry 
wrung  from  the  very  soul  of  the  unhappy  wife. 

"  George,  my  child,  where  are  you  ?  Your  mother 
calls  you. — Come." 

At  the  well-known  voice,  a  lovely  boy,  scarcely  three 
years  of  age,  who,  as  he  saw  his  father  fall,  had  con- 
cealed himself,  pale  and  trembling,  beneath  that  father's 
bed,  approached  his  mother,  and  having  reached  her 
side  buried  his  face  in  the  folds  of  her  dress,  as  if  to 
shut  out  the  frightful  scene  around  him.  But  frenzied 
by  despair,  she  plucked  him  from  his  new  hiding- 
place  ;  and  leading  him  to  Major  L ,  said  in  a  tone 

as  hard  and  emotionless  as  though  it  had  proceeded 
from  lips  of  stone  : — 

'^  Coward !  Your  work  is  not  yet  done.  You  have 
still  his  son  to  murder." 

At  this  moment  loud  acclamations  were  heard  from 
without ;  and  a  French  general,  surrounded  by  a  group 

6^ 


180  EPISODES   OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

of  officers,  appeared  upon  the  threshold  of  the  blood- 
stained apartment. 

Major  L — —  turned  pale  as  their  eyes  met ;  but  the 
young  widow,  as  if  suddenly  inspired,  rushed  towards 
the  new  comer  exclaiming  : — 

"  Revenge  him — revenge  me — " 

"  Calm  yourself,  Madame,"  said  the  general,  in  an 
accent  so  low  and  gentle  that  it  thrilled  to  every  heart ; 
"  I  must  understand  what  has  taken  place  before  I  can 
pledge  myself  to  anything.  "War  is  a  fearful  ordeal  for 
a  woman  ;  and  doubly  so  for  one  so  young  and  helpless 
as  yourself." 

He  had  scarcely  ceased  speaking,  however,  when  a 
heavy  frown  gathered  upon  his  brow,  and  a  dark  light 
shone  in  his  eyes.  All  he  saw  revealed  the  truth  at 
once;  the  major,  with  his  pistol  still  grasped  in  his 
iron  hand — the  disfigured  corpse,  its  white  hairs  dab- 
bled in  blood — the  frantic  woman,  careless  of  all  the 
conventionalities  of  her  sex,  though  surrounded  by  a 
horde  of  ruthless  soldiery — the  child,  pale  but  tearless, 
calling  to  his  father  to  awake  from  the  dreamless  sleep 
from  which  there  is  no  waking  upon  this  earth. — After 
one  rapid  eagle-like  glance,  he  understood  all ;  and  at 
once  felt  that  there  was  room  neither  for  doubt  nor 
justification.  His  eye  flashed  as  he  crushed  his  glove 
in  his  clasped  fingers,  and  turned  abruptly  towards  the 
murderer,  who  stood  before  him  tren^bling,  stupefied, 
and  stammering  out  a  few  incoherent  words  of  expla- 
nation and  excuse. 

"  You  are  a  coward.  Sir  I"  he  exclaimed  vehemently ; 
"  You  have  assassinated  a  wounded  and  defenceless 
man — a  brave  soldier — in  the  very  presence  of  his  wife, 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  IVRi)E.  181 

who  cried  to  you  for  mercy.    It  was  the  action  of  a 
felon  I" 

"General — "  gasped  tlie  culprit,  who  felt  that  ho 
was  lost 

"  Can  you  deny  the  charge  that  I  have  brought 
against  you  ?  Can  you  produce  one  witness  to  prove 
that  I  have  accused  you  wrongfully  ?  Oh  !  do  it,.  Sir ; 
do  it ;  tliat  I  may  be  spared  the  shame  of  knowipg  that 
a  murderer  has  for  fifteen  years  been  sheltered  })eneath 
the  flag  of  France."  . 

"  General,  I  was  ordered  to  perform  njy  4\rty,ki  face 
of  the  enemy,  and  I  have  performed  it.-  He '.would 
have  taken  my  life,  and  I  have  taken  his.  The  game 
was  an  even  one." 

"Silence,  Sir,  silence;"  was  the  st^rn-reply ;.  "A 
fallen  foe  should  be  as  sacred  as  a  friend;  ;  Face  to 
face,  and  foot  to  foot,  every  loyal  soldier  should  meet 
his  foe ;  but  to  shoot  down  an  unarmed  man^to  mur- 
der in  cold  blood  one  who  is  incapable  of  resistance — 
Pah!  it  is  sickening.  You  are  no  longer  worthy  to 
serve  the  Republic;  nor  shall  you  do  go  anoth^  hour. 
Deliver  to  me  upon  the  instant  your  sword,  your  epau- 
lettes, 4nd  your  decoration.  From  this  moment  you 
cease  to  belong,  to  the  22nd  demi-bri^de:  you' cease  to 
belong,  to  the  army  of  Italy." 

Tlie  major  looked  up  haughtily. 

"  Greneral ;"  he  exclaimed  steadily,  but  with  the  con- 
centrated emotion  of  one  who  was  yielding  up  the  bet- 
ter portion  of  his  existence;  "here  are  my  cross  and 
my  sword.     I  now  demand  a  court-martial." 

"  You  shall  have  one,  Sir ;  you  shall  have  one ;  and 
no  later  than  to-morrow;"  was  the  rejoinder.     Then, 


132  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

turning  towards  the  officers  who  had  remained  silent 
spectators  of  this  exciting  scene,  the  general  approached 
the  corpse  of  the  Austrian  veteran,  and  removing  his 
hat,  said  solemnly :  "  Follow  my  example,  Gentlemen ; 
too  much  honor  can  never  be  paid  to  the  fallen  brave." 

During  the  remainder  of  this  frightful  day  the  young 
widow  continued  a  prey  to  the  most  agonizing  despair. 
After  having  seen  her  husband  laid  in  his  grave  with 
all  the  impressive  ceremonies  of  a  military  funeral,  the 
unfortunate  woman,  who  had  lost  in  one  hour  all  that 
she  had  loved  on  earth  except  her  child,  fell  into  a 
perfect  state  of  apathy ;  that  apathy  alike  of  soul  and 
body  which  is  not  fatigue,  which  is  not  terror,  which  is 
not  madness,  but  the  utter  apathy  of  despair.  Not 
even  the  tears  or  caresses  of  her  son,  the  idol  of  her 
maternal  heart,  could  rouse  her :  she  did  not  hear  his 
voice,  she  did  not  feel  his  kisses  upon  her  lips,  she  was 
unconscious  that  his  loving  arms  were  clasped  about 
her  neck  ;  she  breathed,  but  that  was  all ;  her  inner  life 
was  extinct. 

So  long  as  she  had  a  husband  to  avenge,  a  child  to 
defend,  she  had  retained  strength  and  courage  to  speak 
and  to  act ;  but  now  that  the  assassin  of  her  husband 
had  undergone  the  disgrace  of  a  public  degradation, 
while  the  prompt  and  fearful  retribution  of  a  military 
tribunal  threatened  his  life,  she  remembered  only  the 
immensity  of  her  loss,  the  depth  of  her  bereavement ; 
and  she  was  consequently  more  astonished  than  alarmed 
when,  early  on  the  following  morning,  a  French  aide- 
de-camp  came  to  apprise  her  that  the  General-in-Chief 
desired  an  interview  with  her  at  the  Town  Hall,  in  whipb 
he  had  established  his  head-quarters. 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  IVREE.  133 

Without  the  hesitation  of  a  moment  the  newly-made 
widow  took  her  child  by  the  hand,  who  was  pale  and 
feeble  from  terror  and  want  of  rest;  and  then,  lifting 
him  in  her  arms,  she  followed  the  messenger  with  a 
firm  step,  but  without  having  uttered  a  syllable. 

Introduced  at  once  into  the  council-chamber,  she 
found  herself  in  tlie  midst  of  all  the  most  celebrated 
generals  of  the  French  army — those  men  who  were 
subsequently  to  fulfil  such  different  destinies — who 
were  to  gain  or  to  lose  thrones ;  and  to  leave  upon  the 
field  of  battle,  or  in  the  intrigues  of  courts,  or  amid 
political  conspiracies,  some  their  honor,  and  others 
their  heads.  There  were  assembled  Murat,  Duroc, 
Lannes,  Desaix,  Mathieu,  Dumas,  Massena,  Hoche, 
Cochet,  Bemadotte,  and  many  others  who  were  subse- 
quently to  become  famous ;  while  in  their  midst  stood 
the  General-in-Chief,  his  arms  folded  tightly  across  his 
breast,  and  his  eyes  bent  upon  the  ground. 

As  the  lady  entered  he  looked  towards  her,  advanced 
in  silence,  and  led  her  to  a  seat ;  passed  his  hand  with 
a  melancholy  smile  over  the  fair  curls  of  her  boy,  and 
then  commenced  a  slow  and  measured  walk  from  end 
to  end  of  the  apartment. 

This  sudden  summons,  this  strange  reception,  and 
the  deep  silence  which  reigned  around  her,  at  first 
astonished,  and  finally  alarmed  the  unhappy  woman. 
A  vague  feeling  of  terror  stole  upon  her ;  but  she  could 
not  articulate  one  sentence  to  inquire  of  those  with 
whom  she  had  been  so  strangely  brought  into  contact, 
what  she  had  to  fear,  or  what  to  hope. 

Suddenly  the  roll  of  a  muffled  drum  fell  upon  her 
ear — a   discharge   of  musketry  followed  it — and    the 


134  EPISODES  OF   FKENCH  HISTORY. 

report  had  no  sooner  died  away  than  the  General-in- 
Chief  stood  motionless  for  an  instant;  and  then  ap- 
proaching her,  took  her  hand,  and  led  her  to  a  window 
from  which  she  looked  down  upon  the  melancholy  close 
of  a  military  execution. 

"  Shrink  not,  Madame,"  he  said,  as  with  a  natural 
horror  she  averted  her  head  from  the  painful  specta- 
cle ;  "  the  dead  man  lying  yonder  was  a  French  officer 
whom  his  countrymen  and  comrades  have  just  shot, 
for  having,  in  a  town  taken  by  assault,  murdered  an 
Austrian." 

He  paused,  cast  a  lightning  glance  over  the  group 
around  him,  and  then  added : — 

"  You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  quit  Ivree  whenever 
you  may  wish  to  do  so.  To  you  the  town  must  be  full 
of  bitter  and  cruel  memories ;  nor  is  it  at  this  moment 
a  fitting  place  of  residence  for  one  so  young,  and — par- 
don me — so  handsome  as  yourself.  I  shall  place  you 
under  the  escort  and  protection  of  General  Desaix,  w^ho 
will  answer  for  your  safety  to  the  Republic.  Farewell, 
Madame;  all  I  ask  of  you  is  to  tell  the  Archduke 
Charles,  on  your  arrival  in  his  camp,  what  justice  you 
have  seen  and  experienced  in  the  French  army." 

"  And  the  name  of  my  preserver — of  my  avenger — 
that  I  and  my  child  may  remember  him  in  our  prayers  ?" 

The  stern  soldier  turned  aside  for  a  moment ;  and 
then,  with  studied  and  gracious  courtesy,  he  said  in  a 
voice  which  was  somewhat  less  steady  than  its  wont: — 

"  I  thank  you,  Madame ;  I  may  not  ask  those  prayers 
from  you  for  France ;  but  still  I  gratefully  accept  them 
for  I^apoleon  Bonaparte." 


AN  KVKKING  WITH  FOUCUK.  135 


CHAPTER  XL 

AN   BVENINO  WITH  FOUCH^. 

As  early  as  tlie  year  1814  the  principal  actore  in  the 
Revolution  had  so  tlioroughly  divested  themselves  of 
the  moral  associations  of  '98,  that  tliey  spoke  of  past 
events  witli  an  unscrupulous  abandon  peculiarly  start- 
ling to  younger  and  less  experienced  politicians;  and, 
as  though  the  Restoration  had  absolved  them  from  all 
responsibility,  or  that  a  century  had  elapsed  between 
the  Consulate  and.  tlie  restored  Monarchy,  and  swept 
from  the  world  alike  the  actore  and  the  witnesses  of  past 
events  (while,  in  point  of  fact,  many  of  both  were  still 
living),  some  of  the  leading  celebrities  of  those  troublous 
times  related  anecdotes,  and  revealed  mysteries,  which 
were  assuredly  never  intended  to  become  known  beyond 
the  walls  of  a  justice-room,  or  the  private  office  of  a 
Police-Minister.  Even  Fouche  himself,  although  far 
from  conceiving  that  he  had  reached  the  close  of  his 
official  career,  was  occasionally  indiscreet  enough  to 
betray  certain  secrets  which  enabled  him  to  display 
his  graphic  powers  as  a  ra/ionteur. 

Here  is  one,  told  at  tlie  house  of  Cambaceres,  where 
a  small  party  were  assembled ;  from  a  member  of  which 
we  have  derived  it. 

"  On  a  certain  day,"  said  Fouche,  with  that  peculiar 
expression  of  eye  and  lip  which  rendered  his  counte- 


136  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

nance  so  keen  and  fox-like  that  once  seen  he  could 
never  be  forgotten  ;  "  I  received  a  letter  from  a  lady. 
There  was  no  mistaking  it ;  the  paper  was  fine,  the 
form  of  the  note  elegant,  and  the  perfume  which  it 
exhaled  as  I  tore  it  open,  at  once  subtle  and  delicate. 
1  was  urged — I  was  implored — in  the  most  charmingly- 
rounded  sentences,  and  with  an  earnestness  which  im- 
pressed me  even  more  than  the  style  of  the  request, 
not  to  go  in  person.  No ;  that  the  fair  writer  assured 
me  she  was  not  mad  enough  to  hope  for  an  instant — 
but  to  send  as  my  representative  some  one  in  whom  I 
could  thoroughly  confide,  in  order  that  she  might  com- 
municate to  me  an  affair  of  importance ;  which  she, 
however,  felt  herself  bound  to  confess  was  totally  uncon- 
nected with  the  interests  of  the  Government. 

"  The  frankness  of  this  avowal  piqued  my  curiosity ; 
and,  middle-aged  official  as  I  was,  I  confess  that  I  w^as 
not  proof  against  the  sudden  desire  which  I  felt  to  in- 
vestigate the  mystery  for  myself.  My  only  fear  was 
that  of  being  recognised,  a  risk  which  I  was  particularly 
anxious  to  avoid  for  many  and  obvious  reasons.  How- 
ever, I  had  worn  so  many  and  such  successful  disguises 
in  my  time,  that  I  thought  I  might  venture  to  try  my 
fortune  once  more ;  so,  after  having  maturely  laid  my 
plan,  I  determined  to  attempt  it. 

"  Having  summoned  a  clever  subordinate,  who 
thoroughly  understood  his  business  (in  the  absence  of 
my  own  valet,  whom  I  had  purposely  dispatched  to  the 
other  end  of  the  city),  with  his  assistance  I  dressed  my- 
self in  a  violet-colored  coat,  a  purple  velvet  waistcoat, 
short  breeches  of  black  kerseymere,  black  silk  stock- 
ings, shoes  with  silver  buckles,  a  three-cornered  hat, 


AN  KVENDTQ  WITH  FOUCH^.  187 

and  a  gold-headed  cane.  A  patch,  cleverly  applied, 
completed  the  disguise,  which  was  so  perfect  that  my 
faithful  valet  on  his  return  from  his  errand  (astonislied 
to  see  a  stranger,  as  he  supposed,  in  my  apartments), 
hurriedly  and  angrily  inquired  my  business  there. 

"  As  1  had  succeeded  in  mystifying  my  lynx-eyed 
Jacques  I  felt  satisfied  that  no  stranger  would  recognise 
me ;  so,  w^ithout  any  furtlier  misgiving,  I  got  into  a 
hackney-coach,  and  drove  to  the  entrance  of  the  Rue 
des  Foes^s-Saint- Victor,  where  I  alighted,  having  pre- 
viously taken  the  precaution  to  station  several  of  my 
people  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  house,  to  which 
I  then  proceeded  on  foot.  It  was  of  very  respectable 
appearance,  with  a  carriage-entrance,  an  inner  court 
surrounded  by  ofiices,  a  large  hall,  and  a  noble  stair- 
case. The  name  with  which  tJie  note  had  been  signed 
was  one  that  I  knew  to  have  been  borne  by  several 
high  legal  functionaries ;  and  I  understood  at  once  that 
this  was  an  ancestral  mansion,  where,  if  crimes  had 
never  been  committed,  tliey  had  at  least  been  frequently 
and  gravely  discussed. 

"  I  am  not  about  to  reveal  that  name ;  my  story  will 
have  the  same  interest  with  one  of  my  own  adoption  ; 
and,  therefore,  it  must  suffice  that  on  reaching  the  por- 
ter's lodge,  I  inquired  for  Madame  de  Polvere. 

"*Do  you  want  the  young  one  or  the  dowager?' 
asked  the  porter. 

"I  hesitated  for  an  instant;  but  remembering  the 
appearance  and  perfume  of  the  note,  I  said  boldly : — 

"  '  The  young  one.' 

"  '  On  the  first  floor,  Monsieur ;  the  large  centre  door 
at  the  head  of  the  stairs.' 


138  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

" '  And  which  are  the  dowager's  apartments  V  I 
inquired,  thinking  it  better  to  say  something  than  to 
appear  ill  at  ease,  when  the  slightest  suspicion  might 
involve  me  in  difficulty. 

"  '  On  the  ground-floor,  opening  on  the  garden,  when 
she  is  in  Paris ;  but  at  present  she  is  at  her  place  in  the 
country.' 

"  I  bowed  my  acknowledgments  for  this  important 
piece  of  information,  and  went  up-stairs.  Five  minutes 
afterwards  I  was  introduced  into  a  drawing-room  which 
had  evidently  undergone  no  change  in  its  decorations 
since  the  year  1750.  All  was  rich,  but  faded ;  and 
there  was  an  air  of  by-gone  magnificence  about  the 
aspect  of  everything  that  it  contained  which  instantly 
produced  its  effect  upon  the  mind.  Through  this  saloon 
I  proceeded  to  a  second,  less  vast,  but  furnished  in  the 
same  manner ;  and  there,  seated  upon  a  sofa,  I  found  a 
young,  graceful,  and  timid  woman,  about  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  and  of  exceeding  beauty.  She  was  evi- 
dently in  a  state  of  painful  agitation;  she  trembled 
violently ;  and  I  at  once  felt  a  desire  to  serve  her. 

"  '  Madame  la  Baronne ;'  said  I,  showing  her  the  note 
which  I  had  received ;  '  I  am  sent  by  His  Excellency 
the  Minister — ' 

"  She  clasped  her  hands  imploringly,  and  I  paused. 

"  '  Monsieur;'  she  faltered  out ;  'nothing  short  of  the 
most  absolute  necessity  could  have  induced  me — I  am 
indeed  deeply  indebted  to  His  Excellency — I  would 
prove  my  gratitude  were  it  in  my  power — Oh,  believe 
me, — I  am  very,  very  wretched  !' 

"  '  Madame  ;'  I  replied  ;  *  the  Minister  has  great 
power.    I  am  possessed  of  his  entire  confidence.     He 


AN  EVENING  WITH  P0UCh6.  139 

will  judge  your  cause  according  to  my  report;  and, 
from  what  I  haf  e  hitherto  seen,  1  have  no  doubt  that 
his  verdict  will  be  favorable  to  yourself.'       ♦ 

"  *  But  the  step  which  I  am  taking  is  so  serious — 
so  onerous — so  unprecedented' — gasped  out  the  poor 
young  woman;  *even  now,  while  trembling  for  my 
life,  I  feel  it  difficult  to  convince  myself  that  I  have 
done  right ;  but  I  am  young,  very  young  to  die ;  and  I 
have  not  sufficient  courage  to  become  the  victim  of 
anotlier  crime.' 

"  *  A  crime !'  I  exclaimed ;  *  a  crime  beneath  tliia. 
roof?' 

" '  Alas,  Monsieur ;'  she  sobbed  out ;  *  your  astonish- 
ment and  incredulity  have  convinced  me  that  I  shall 
not  be  believed — ^forgive  me  for  having  troubled  you 
with  my  sorrows,  and  forget  me.' 

"*  Astonished  I  may  have  been,  but,  not  incredu- 
lous ;'  I  said  soothingly ;  *  a  man  does  not  pass  many 
years  in  the  service  of  the  Duke  d'Otranto  without 
becoming  cognisant  of  deeper  and  darker  deeds  than 
your  young  and  pure  imagination  can  suggest.  More- 
over, I  am  here  by  your  own  invitation ;  and  I  have 
now  a  great  duty  to  perform,  for  which  I  am  respon- 
sible alike  to  my  chief,  and  to  my  own  conscience. 
Yours  is  equally  stringent ;  and  I  call  upon  you,  for 
your  own  sake  as  well  as  for  mine,  to  tell  me  fully  and 
without  resei-ve  all  that,  when  you  addressed  His  Ex- 
cellency, you  desired  to  communicate.' 

"  '  I  will  do  so ;'  she  replied ;  '  I  believe  that  I  ought 
to  do  so.  But  oh !  how  earnestly  do  I  hope  that  I  am 
not  suffering  my  coward  fears  to  cause  me  to  betray 
my  duty !    Yet  I  cannot  die  without  a  struggle,  Mon- 


140  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

sieur; — I  cannot — so  young,  and  so  utterly  alone — so 
full  of  life,  and — ' 

"  '  Not%  word  more,  Madame ;'  said  I ;  '  the  time  for 
hesitation  is  past.  I  have  now  heard  at  once  too  much 
and  too  liitle ;  and  must,  therefore,  insist  upon  your 
confiding  to  me  everything  relating  to  this  evidently 
serious  secret.' 

"  'I  will  obey  you  ;'  said  the  Baronne  de  Polvere — 
*  I  will  obey  you,  Monsieur ;  but  only  on  condition  that 
you  will  preserve  the  most  inviolable  secrecy,  and  not 
peril  the  honor  of  our  family.  Do  you  promise  me 
this  V 

"  As  Police-Minister ;"  pursued  the  Duke  d'Otranto 
with  an  ambiguous  smile ;  "  promises  of  this  description 
were  constantly  forced  upon  me,  which  the  public 
interest  compelled  me  as  a  duty  subsequently  to  disre- 
gard ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  were  serviceable 
in  inducing  a  fuller  and  more  detailed  confidence  on 
the  part  of  those  to  whom  they  were  made.  My  duty 
was  to  protect  society  rather  than  individuals;  and 
where  the  breach  of  trust  tended  to  the  general  good, 
I  felt  that  I  was  justified  in  failing  to  redeem  my  pledge, 
and  that  I  could  do  so  without  forfeiting  my  honor. 
Under  these  circumstances  I  did  not  scruple  to  assure 
the  lady  that  she  might  rely  on  my  discretion ;  upon 
which,  wiping  away  her  tears,  and  endeavoring  to  con- 
trol her  emotion,  she  proceeded  to  tell  her  tale  as  fol- 
lows : — 

" '  Being  so  thoroughly  in  the  confidence  of  M.  le 
Due  d'Otranto  as  you  are.  Monsieur,  you  must  doubt- 
less be  aware  that  the  family  of  my  husband  has  long 
been  celebrated  in  the  higher  ranks  of  the  law.     Some 


AN  EVENING  WITH  FOUCHE.  141 

centuries  ago  it  was  ennobled — noblesse  de  robe^  as  I 
need  scarcely  explain,  and  boasting  nothing  historical — 
but,  despite  this  serious  impediment  to  its  importance, 
the  mother  of  Monsieur  de  Polvere  has  conceived  so 
exalted  an  idea  of  its  dignity,  that  the  dread  of  seeing 
the  title  become  extinct  has  on  tliree  different  occasions 
driven  her  to  crime.  I  am  grateful  to  say  that  she  is 
not  our  countrywoman,  but  was  bom  in  one  of  the 
islands  of  the  Greek  Archipelago,  where  my  father-in- 
law  married  her  when  he  was  serving  in  the  navy,  for 
which  profession  he  had  abandoned  that  of  the  law. 
My  husband  has  a  younger  brother,  who  is  at  the  pre- 
sent time  a  Captain  of  Artillery,  and  who  united  him- 
self, five  years  ago,  to  a  young  and  charming  woman 
who  died  when  she  had  been  his  wife  about  four 
years.  I  will  explain  to  you  the  cause  of  her 
death. 

" '  My  husband,  before  he  was  of  age,  married  his 
cousin-german,  to  whom  he  was  passionately  attached, 
but  who  brought  him  no  heir  to  his  name ;  and  after 
four  years  of  happiness,  to  which  this  circumstance  had 
been  the  only  drawback,  she  too  languished  and  died. 
The  coincidence  was  considered  to  be  as  extraordinary 
as  it  was  melancholy,  but  no  suspicion  of  foul  play 
entered  into  the  mind  of  any  friend  of  the  family  ;  and 
again  the  Baron  de  Polvere,  whose  grief  at  the  loss  of 
a  wife  whom  he  had  idolized  was  still  deep  and  sincere, 
suffered  himself,  at  the  earnest  entreaty  of  his  mother, 
to  be  dragged  once  more  to  the  altar.  The  new  baro- 
ness was  an  intimate  friend  of  my  own  :  she  was  beau- 
tiful, amiable,  and  affectionate,  but  the  curse  of  barren- 
ness was  also  upon  her  /  and  the  fourth  year  of  her 


142  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

marriage  had  barely  expired,  when  she  pined  and  died 
like  her  predecessor. 

"  ^  IS'early  at  the  same  period  I  lost  my  husband,  to 
whom  I  had  been  united  by  the  will  of  my  family ; 
and  who  left  me  the  mother  of  two  children,  who  now 
constitute  the  happiness  of  my  life. 

"  '  Madame  de  Polvere  no  sooner  saw  the  first  year 
of  my  widowhood  expire  than  she  made  overtures  to 
me  on  behalf  of  her  eldest  son,  from  which  I  shrank 
from  motives  that  will  require  no  explanation ;  but 
she  persisted  so  resolutely,  and  I  sympathised  so  sin- 
cerely in  the  grief  of  the  baron,  of  whose  amiable  quali- 
ties I  was  well  aware,  and  with  whom  I  had  contracted 
a  close  friendship  during  the  lifetime  of  his  last  wife — 
we  were  constantly  thrown  together — we  had  a  com- 
mon sorrow — and  we  ultimately  became  so  necessary 
to  each  other — that  we  finally  suiFered  ourselves  to  be 
convinced  by  the  old  countess  that  our  mutual  happi- 
ness depended  on  our  union.  We  were  married,  and 
for  four  years  I  have  acquiesced  in  the  truth  of  the 
assurance ;  but  if  the  affection  of  my  husband  has 
known  no  change,  such  has  been  by  no  means  the  case 
with  that  of  his  mother.  To  M.  de  Polvere  I  have 
been,  in  my  turn,  a  childless  wife ;  and  gradually,  from 
a  .display  of  maternal  tenderness  on  the  part  of  the 
countess  to  which  I  found  it  difficult  to  make  an  ade- 
quate return,  I  have  been  subjected  to  the  utmost 
harshness  and  indignity.  Unconscious  of  having  me- 
rited this  treatment  I  appealed  to  my  husband,  but  he 
was  as  ignorant  as  myself  of  the  motive  by  which  his 
mother  was  actuated  ;  and  as  no  expostulation  on  his 
part  could  induce  her  to  do  me  justice,  I  have  hitherto 


AN  EVENINO  WITH  FOUCHE.  143 

submitted  .ia  silence  to  a  tyranny  from  which  I  found 
it  impossible  to  escape. 

"I  Wh^  Madame  do  Polv^re,  on  her  marriage,  ac- 
companied \\fir  husband  t(5  France,  she  brought  with 
her  as  her  personal  attendant,  a  Greek  woman  who  Iiad 
beei^beir  ojMPse ;  and  who  was  an  object  of  hatred 
to  all-t)jp  Jiousehold.  Six  months  ago  Panchiera,  for 
such  wa&  lier  name,  fell  ill  of  a  malignant  fever  ;  and 
not  only  the  servants,  but  even  her  mistress  hei-self 
abandoned  her  to  her  fate  ;  and  that  so  harshly  that  the 
vindictive  invalid  called  down  curses  upon  her  head. 
For  this  excessive  imprudence  (knowing  what  I  now 
know),  it  is  impossible  to  account ;  I  can  only  tell  you 
facts  as  they  occurred ;  save,  indeed,  that  as  the  very 
moments  of  the  woman's  life  appeared  to  be  numbered, 
it  is  probable  that  Madame  de  Polvere  believed  she 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  her  vengeance. 

" '  You  will  readily  understand,  Monsieur ;'  pursued 
the  lady  with  a  faint  blush  ;  '  that,  even  loathing  Pan- 
chiera as  I  did,  I  could  not  leave  her  alone  in  her  dying 
agony ;  and  the  wretched  sufferer,  in  her  rare  intervals 
of  ease,  expressed  her  gratitude  so  energetically  that  I 
soon  ceased  to  remember  anything  save  her  lamentable 
state.  The  fact  of  my  attendance  on  her  waiting-woman 
soon,  however,  reached  the  ears  of  my  mother-in-law, 
from  whom  I  suddenly  received  an  order  to  absent  my- 
self altogetlier  from  the  sick-room ;  and  as  I  was  worn 
out  with  fatigue,  I  at  once  retired  to  my  own  apart- 
ment and  threw  myself  upon  my  bed,  where  I  fell  into 
a  deep  and  heavy  sleep.  It  chanced  that  this  took 
place  on  the  birth-day  of  the  countess,  who  having  as- 
certained from  my  maid  that  I  had  gone  to  take  some 


144  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

rest,  and  carefully  convinced  herself  by  a  visit  to  my 
chamber,  that  I  was  still  quietly  slumbering,  and 
crushed  by  anxiety  and  exhaustion,  determined  to 
attend  high  mass  at  St.  Etienne-du-Mont,  whither  she 
immediately  proceeded,  after  having  imperatively  com- 
manded that  no  one  should,  on  any  pretext  whatever, 
intrude  into  the  presence  of  the  dying  woman.  Scarcely 
however,  had  her  carriage  driven  from  the  door  when 
Pauline  awoke  me  with  a  request  from  Panchiera  that 
I  would  go  to  her  without  losing  a  moment.  Curious 
to  learn  the  motive  of  such  a  message,  I  at  once  com- 
plied ;  and,  in  what  afterwards  proved  to  have  been 
almost  her  death-agony,  the  miserable  Greek  woman 
poured  out  before  me  the  long-hoarded  secrets  of  her 
guilt-laden  soul. 

"  *  Never,  Monsieur  ;  never  shall  I  forget  that  fright- 
ful hour !  The  struggle  of  the  strong  will  with  the  tor- 
tured and  failing  body — the  gasping  breath  severing 
the  frightful  words  of  unexpiated  crime — '  She 
paused,  and  with  a  shudder  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands. 

"  'It  must,  indeed,  Madam,  have  been  a  severe 
trial :'  I  said  ;  *  but  compose  yourself ;  it  is  past ;  and 
if  you  are  only  frank  and  explicit  we  shall  no  doubt 
be  able  to  spare  you  such  terrible  suffering  for  the 
future.' 

"  •  She  told  me ;'  pursued  my  companion,  making  a 
strong  effort  at  composure  ;  *  that  at  a  very  early  age 
my  mother-in-law  had  been  initiated  into  the  fearful 
secret  of  composing  certain  poisons,  of  which  she  had 
availed  herself  to  destroy  the  three  childless  wives  of 
her  two  sons ;   and  that   I  was  destined  to  the  same 


AN  EVENING   WITH   FOUCHE.  145 

fate  if,  by  the  close  of  another  year,  I  had  not  again 
become  a  mother.  I  was  incredulous,  and  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  express  my  doubts ;  but  Panchiera  waved  her 
hand  impatiently,  and  bade  me  not  waste  the  moments 
of  her  waning  strength  in  a  senseless  opposition  to  the 
trutli.  She  then  informed  me  of  the  hidden  place 
where  I  should  find  the  fatal  liquids  and  powdere  ;  and 
finally  she  gave  mo  the  receipt  of  an  antidote  which 
she  assured  me  was  infallible,  and  urging  me  to  pro- 
cure it  at  once,  lest  at  a  future  period  I  might  have  no 
opportunity  of  doing  so.  She  then  solemnly  took  leave 
of  me  for  ever,  after  having  enjoined  both  myself  and 
my  maid  to  keep  this,  my  last  visit  to  her,  a  secret  from 
her  mistress.       • 

"  *  As  no  one  save  Pauline  was  aware  that  I  had 
infringed  the  orders  of  the  countess,  it  was  easy  to  com- 
ply with  her  request ;  and,  half  frantic  with  horror  and 
apprehension,  I  hastened  back  to  my  room  to  calm 
myself  by  prayer.  I  was  still  on  my  knees,  seeking 
strength  where  alone  it  can  be  found,  when  Madame 
de  Polvere  returned,  and  at  once  hurried  to  the  cham- 
ber of  the  Greek  woman.  It  was  evident  that  she  was 
sinking  fast ;  but  when  one  of  the  attendants  suggested 
that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  summoning  her  confessor, 
the  countess  negatived. the  proposition,  declaring  that 
she  had  evidently  rallied  during  her  absence ;  nor  did 
she  dispatch  a  messenger  for  the  priest  until,  as  she 
rightly  calculated,  he  had  on  his  arrival  no  office  to 
perform  save  that  of  praying  beside  the  inanimate 
corpse,  whose  sins  were  already  J ndged  before  another 
and  a  higher  tribunal. 

"  '  Madame  de  Polvere  did  not  even  express  a  regret 
7 


146  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

at  the  death  of  her  old  attendant ;  a  circumstance  which 
astonished  all  the  household  save  myself  and  my  maid. 
A  week  went  by,  and  I  had  exerted  sufficient  control 
over  myself  to  evade  all  suspicion  on  the  part  of  my 
mother-in-law ;  but  I  was,  nevertheless,  constantly  in 
terror  lest  my  life  should  be  slowly  passing  from  me ; 
and  the  slightest  symptom  of  languor  or  indisposition 
robbed  me  alike  of  energy  and  hope.  In  one  of  these 
paroxysms  of  despondency,  I  dispatched  Pauline  to  the 
most  celebrated  chemist  in  Paris,  and  desired  that  the 
prescription  given  to  me  by  Panchiera  might  be  pre- 
pared and  sent  without  loss  of  time. 

" '  A  few  mornings  subsequently,  the  countess  came 
to  my  room  before  I  had  left  my  bed — this  must  have 
been  about  a  fortnight  ago — and  I  had  no  sooner  half 
risen  on  my  pillow  to  return  her  greeting,  than  I  be- 
came aware  that  she  was  pale,  agitated,  and  angry. 
She  held  in  her  hand  a  small  box,  carefully  folded  in 
green  paper,  and  sealed.  You  see.  Monsieur,  that  I 
am  not  sparing  you  a  single  detail.' 

^' '  And  you  are  right,  Madame  la  Baronne ;'  said  I, 
for  my  curiosity  was  strongly  excited  by  so  strange  a 
revelation;  *such  precision  frequently  obviates  the 
necessity  of  much  after-explanation ;  and  in  serious 
cases  like  the  present,  facilitates  the  ends  of  justice.' 

" '  "Well,  Monsieur ;'  resumed  Madame  de  Polvere, 
still  totally  ignorant,  and  even  unsuspicious  of  my 
identity;  *I  no  sooner  saw  the  box  to  which  I  have 
alluded,  than  I  became  agitated  in  my  turn ;  for  I 
instantly  apprehended  that  the  antidote  ordered  by 
Pauline  had  by  some  unfortunate  accident  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  countess.     Concealing  my  alarm  as 


AN  EVENING  WITH   FOUCHB.  147 

well  as  I  could,  however,  I  awaited  in  silenco  what  was 
to  follow :  nor  was  I  long  kept  in  suspense. 

"  *My  dear  child  ;'  said  the  old  lady,  in  a  kind,  gen- 
tle, but  slightly  reproachful  tone,  like  one  who  felt  hurt 
and  aggrieved  by  some  unanticipated  wrong ;  *  I  regret 
to  say  that  I  have  reason  to  complain  of  you.  How  is 
it  that  after  all  the  care  and  tenderness  I  have  lavished 
upon  you  since  you  became  the  wife  of  my  son — a  ten- 
deniess  which  I  blindly  believed  to  be  reciprocal — you 
were  led  to  place  faith  in  the  vile  slanders  of  a  wretch 
who  is  now  gone  to  her  account?  Had  I  not  respected 
too  deeply  the  purity  of  your  mind,  I  should  have  con- 
fided to  you  years  ago  that  Panchiera  had  been  the 
evil  genius  of  my  life ;  that  she  had  robbed  me  of  the 
aflfections  of  my  husband ;  and  that  she  had  embittered 
my  existence  by  a  thousand  acts  of  ill-will  and  enmity. 
Perhaps  I  ought  to  have  told  you  all  this,  but  you  will 
respect  the  motives  of  my  silence ;  and,  in  any  case, 
you  should  have  been  less  credulous,  and  at  once  have 
informed  me  of  the  accusation  brought  against  me. 
Had  you  done  this  you  would  have  escaped  a  very 
painful  ordeal,  for  I  could  without  difficulty  have  con- 
vinced you  of  the  injustice  of  your  suspicions,  and  you 
need  not  have  had  recourse  to  a  chemist  to  secure  your 
safety.' 

"  ^  I  was  careful  not  to  interrupt  the  countess ;  on 
the  contrary,  I  listened  intently,  in  order  to  profit  by 
any  unguarded  word  which  might  escape  her.  That 
she  was  acting  a  part  was  sufficiently  evident ;  and  I 
became  the  more  convinced  of  her  guilt  as  I  heard  her 
plausibly,  but  most  illogically,  accuse  the  person  by 
whom  she  felt  herself  to  have  been  betrayed.     The 


148  EPISODES   OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

envelope  of  the  box  was  still  unsealed  in  her  hand,  yet 
she  was  quite  aware,  from  its  form  and  size,  of  the 
nature  of  its  contents.  If  innocent  of  the  crimes  with 
which  she  had  been  branded,  how,  I  asked  myself,  had 
she  so  readily  detected  them  ?  As  she  ceased  speak- 
ing, however,  I  found  it  necessary  to  make  an  instant 
reply;  and  forcing  a  laugh  against  which  my  heart 
revolted,  I  said  with  a  flippancy  which  must  have  been 
hideous  on  such  an  occasion,  and  at  such  a  moment : 
Keally,  Madame  la  Comtesse,  your  fertile  imagination 
has  led  you  very  far  in  pursuit  of  an  extremely  simple 
matter.  As  to  the  link  between  yourself  and  your 
attendant,  I  am  of  course  not  in  a  position  to  judge  of 
either  your  wrongs,  or  her — 

"  '  Do  not  expect,  Madame  de  Polvere,'  interposed 
my  mother-in-law,  sternly ;  '  that  I  am  to  be  deceived 
by  so  shallow  an  attempt  at  equivocation.  This  box, 
delivered  to  me  in  mistake,  by  a  careless  messenger 
who  believed  that  he  was  giving  it  to  the  person  for 
whom  it  was  intended,  contains  an  antidote  which  no 
species  of  poison  can  resist.  Two  persons  only  in 
France  were  aware  of  its  existence ;  the  vile  woman 
by  whom  it  was  given  to  you,  and  myself;  and  now, 
by  your  imprudence,  it  will  be  known  to  all  the  world. 

"  *  Such  a  result  reconciles  me  to  what  you  designate 
as  my  imprudence ; '  I  said,  forcing  a  yawn ;  *  for  is 
not  the  possession  of  such  a  secret  a  benefit  to  all 
mankind  ? ' 

"'Perhaps  so;'  was  the  hard  reply;  'but  it  was 
family  property ;  which,  in  case  of  a  reverse  of  fortune, 
might  have  proved  a  resource  that  you  have  recklessly 
and  needlessly  flung  away ;  and  T  have  a  right  to  com- 


AN  EVENING  WITH  rOUCH6.  149 

plain  of  the  liberty  which  you  have  taken  in  acting  as 
you  have  seen  fit  to  do  without  my  consent  ?' 

"  'How  could  I  guess,  Madame?' 

"  *  You  knew  that  I  was  the  mother  of  your  husband ; 
and  you  have  degraded  yourself  by  allowing  the  odious 
accusations  of  a  menial  to  induce  you  to  indulge  in 
such  suspicions  against  one  whom  you  are  bound  to 
honor. ' 

*'  *  I  retained  my  composure,  and  did  not  commit 
myself  by  a  word.  The  countess  expostulated,  threat- 
ened, and  argued,  but  I  continued  silent;  until  at 
length,  exhausted  by  her  excitement,  she  left  me ;  but 
only  to  summon  Pauline  to  her  room,  where  she  was 
subjected  to  a  rigid  cross-examination.  She,  poor  girl, 
had  less  self-command  than  myself;  and,  since  the 
frightful  revelation  of  the  Greek  woman,  had  never 
swallowed  a  crust  of  bread  or  a  draught  of  water  with- 
out distrust,  although  her  attachment  to  me  was  so  sin- 
cere that  I  could  not  induce  her  to  quit  my  service ; 
or,  as  she  herself  expressed  it,  to  leave  me  to  my  fate ; 
and  thus  Madame  de  Polvere  soon  elicited  from  her 
trembling  lips  all  that  she  desired  to  know.  Terrified 
by  the  menaces  of  the  countess,  she  equivocated,  hesi- 
tated, and  contradicted  herself  so  perpetually,  that  at 
length  the  secret  of  my  last  visit  to  Panchiera  was 
divulged ;  and  my  poor  tortured  Pauline,  after  having 
been  abruptly  dismissed  by  her  tormentor,  threw  her- 
self on  her  knees  before  me  to  implore  my  pardon  for 
her  involuntary  fault. 

" '  I  consoled  her  as  I  best  could,  by  the  assurance 
that  the  fact  of  my  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  the 
antidote  could  have  left  little  doubt  on  the  mind  of  the 


150  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

countess  that  1  was  cognisant  of  her  crimes ;  and  that 
henceforth  it  behoved  us  to  be  more  on  our  guard  than 
"fever. 

" '  My  husband,  his  brother,  his  father,  and  his  uncle, 
are  at  the  present  moment  all  absent  from  Paris ;  and 
after  the  interview  which  I  have  related  to  you,  ray 
mother-in-law  ceased  to  hold  any  communication  with 
me,  except  in  the  presence  of  the  servants  or  of  some 
casual  visitor,  until  a  week  ago,  when  she  suddenly 
entered  my  apartment.  As  she  closed  the  door  behind 
her,  she  asked  harshly  : — 

"  '  Well,  Madame  la  Baronne,  do  you  still  look  upon 
me  as  a  murderer  V 

"  I  uttered  an  incoherent  disclaimer. 

"  *  Do  not  deny  it ;'  she  said  impetuously  :  ^  I  am 
already  aware  that  you  are  less  frank  than  your  wait- 
ing-maid, from  whom  such  dissimulation  might  be  par- 
doned, while  in  you  it  is  hateful.  Enough  of  this.  1 
will  hear  no  more ;  and  I  command  you  instantly  to 
tell  me  all  you  know,  when  I  may  perhaps  be  induc- 
ed  ' 

"  '  To  do  what,  Madame  la  Comtesse  V  I  asked. 

"  '  Do  not  urge  me  too  far  !'  she  replied  with  a 
threatening  gesture ;  '  I  am  no  frivolous  Frenchwoman. 
I  have  the  honor  of  our  house  at  heart ;  it  is  my  exist- 
ence— it  is  my  world.  Arrangements  may  be  made  to 
annul  a  marriage  which  is  contrary  to  its  interests.' 

"  '  Madame  ;'  I  exclaimed  unguardedly  ;  '  what  an 
avowal  has  escaped  you!' 

^' '  And  yourself !'  she  retorted  ;  '  are  you  not  equally 
imprudent  in  admitting  that  you  attach  a  meaning  to 
my  words,  which  you  never  could  have  attributed  to 


AN  EVENING  WITH  POUCHfi.  161 

them  had  you  not  been  previously  taught  how  they 
might  be  interpreted  V 

"  *  I  was  immediately  conscious ;'  pursued  the  poor 
young  Baronne  ;  *  that  I  had  committed  myself  beyond 
redemption  ;  I  made  no  reply ;  and  my  mother-in-law 
left  me  more  irritated  than  ever.  That  same  evening 
I  went  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  and  on  my  return  ft 
midnight,  I  found  Pauline  awaiting  me  in  the  porter's 
lodge.  We  were  slowly  ascending  the  stairs,  when  on 
reaching  the  res-de-chausaee  we  were  astonished  to  see 
the  door  of  the  countess  open,  and  she  herself  appear  on 
the  landing  clothed  only  in  her  night-dress  and  slippers 
and  carrying  in  her  hand  an  unlighted  candle.  "We 
were  dumb  with  terror ;  and,  as  she  approached  us,  I 
was  endeavoring  to  nerve  myself  for  some  scene  of  vio- 
lence ;  when  to  our  amazement,  she  passed  us  without 
a  symptom  of  recognition,  although  Pauline  was  stand- 
ing beside  me  holding  a  lamp.  We  scarcely  ventured 
to  breathe  as  she  walked  up-stairs  before  us.  Was  she 
— could  she  be  a  somnambulist,  I  asked  myself  ?  There 
appeared  no  doubt  of  the  fact.  Where  was  she  going  ? 
I  made  a  gesture  of  caution  to  Pauline,  and  we  fol- 
lowed her.  She  gained  my  apartments ;  but  without 
the  pause  of  a  moment,  to  my  great  relief,  she  conti- 
nued her  ascent ;  and  on  reaching  the  second  floor  she 
opened  a  small  door  which  admitted  her  by  a  narrower 
staircase  to  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  servants.  This 
she  also  mounted  ;  and  still  we  followed  with  noiseless 
steps  behind  her,  trembling  from  excitement  and  curio- 
sity. At  length  she  entered  a  passage  which  led  to 
what  had  been  the  chamber  of  Panchiera,  and  apply- 
ing a  key  to  the  lock,  which  we  then  remarked  for  the 


152  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

first  time  that  she  carried,  she  threw  open  the  door  and 
went  in.  She  walked  steadily  and  stealthily  across  the 
floor  to  the  upper  end  of  the  room,  which  was  hung 
with  old  faded  tapestry,  a  portion  of  which  she  raised 
— the  dead  woman  had  prepared  me  for  what  was  to 
follow — she  touched  a  secret  spring,  and  as  a  panel  slid 
back  into  the  wall,  we  saw  a  small  closet  fitted  with 
shelves,  upon  which  were  ranged  numerous  glass  phials, 
some  full,  and  others  partially  emptied  of  their  contents. 
She  carefully  selected  one  of  these ;  and  holding  it  in 
front  of  the  candle  as  though  it  had  been  burning,  a 
ghastly  smile  passed  over  her  lips  as  she  muttered: 
'  This  will  do.  She  cannot  escape  this.'  She  then 
closed  the  panel,  let  fall  the  tapestry,  and  convinced 
herself  that  all  was  in  order.  Meanwhile  we  made  our 
way  noiselessly  from  the  spot,  and  retreated  to  my 
apartments ;  where,  as  I  threw  myself  half-wild  upon 
a  sofa  in  the  ante-room,  we  heard  her  slow  and  heavy 
tread  descend  the  stairs,  until  it  stopped  at  last  at  the* 
door  of  her  own  suite,  when  all  was  once  more  quiet. 

" '  I  should  have  told  you.  Monsieur ;'  pursued  the 
Baronne,  pale  with  emotion  ;  '  that  early  that  day  the 
Comtesse  Madame  de  Polvere  had  informed  her  ser- 
vants that  she  should  leave  Paris  early  on  the  following 
morning  for  her  chateau;  and  that  the  necessary  ar- 
rangements had  been  made.  She  quitted  the  house  at 
the  hour  she  had  appointed  ;  and,  contrary  to  my 
anticipations,  without  an  eifort  to  see  me  before  her 
departure ;  but  instead  of  a  farewell  visit,  she  had  en- 
trusted Pauline  with  a  pressing  and  afi*ectionate  invita- 
tion for  me  to  follow  her,  and  try  the  efi'ect  of  country 
air  on  my  shattered  nerves.    Need  I  say  that  I  at  once 


AN  EVENING  WITH  rOUCHjfc.  153 

felt  convinced  of  the  destiny  wliicli  was  reserved  for 
me  should  I  become  her  guest  ?  From  that  moment  I 
Jiave  l)een  almost  insane  with  terror — I  am  anxious 
neither  to  compromise  my  liusband's  family  nor  to 
sacrifice  my  own  life ;  and,  well  aware  of  the  extraor- 
dinary talents  of  Ilis  Excellency  the  Minister  of  Police, 
I  have  at  length  resolved  to  entreat  his  assistance ;  as, 
should  I  disobey  the  wishes  of  Madame  de  Polvere,  I 
shall  be  compelled  to  explain  the  motives  of  such  a 
discourtesy,  and  my  fate  would  be  sealed.  In  pity 
then,  Monsieur,  plead  my  cause  with  the  duke,  for  I 
know  not  where  else  to  look  for  help.' 

"  You  may  believe.  Messieurs ;"  continued  Fouch6  ; 
"  how  lively  an  interest  I  took  in  this  strange  tale, 
which  had  suddenly  carried  me  back  to  the  days  of  the 
Brinvilliers  and  tlie  Yoisins.  The  story  had  been  told 
with  so  much  simplicity,  and  such  an  utter  absence  of 
all  attempt  at  stage-effect,  that  I  was  thoroughly  con- 
vinced of  its  truth.  I  consoled  the  poor  young  victim 
of  an  insane  vanity,  and  desired  her  to  trust  to  me  for 
her  future  safety  ;  assuring  her  that  the  Minister  would 
at  once  discover  some  means  of  saving  both  herself  and 
the  honor  of  the  family.  I  then,  in  my  turn,  subjected 
her  waiting-maid  to  a  rigorous  cross-examination,  when 
I  found  every  detail  of  her  narrative  in  exact  accord- 
ance with  that  of  her  mistress.  I  next  desired  her  to 
conduct  me  to  the  room  in  which  the  Greek  woman 
died,  where  she  pointed  out  to  me  the  hidden  closet. 
I  soon  discovered  the  secret  of  the  spring,  drove  back 
the  panel,  and  convinced  myself  of  the  nature  of  the 
drugs  which  had  been  concealed  there,  and  of  which  I 
instantly  took  possession. 


154  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  '  In  eight-and-forty  hours,  Madame  la  Baronne  ;'  I 
Baidj  as  I  made  my  parting  bow ;  *  all  will  be  arranged 
to  your  perfect  satisfaction  and  security.' 

"  On  leaving  the  hotel  de  Polvere,  I  drove  to  the 
Tuileries,  and  solicited  an  audience  of  the  Emperor,  to 
whom  I  communicated  my  morning's  adventure. 

" '  Well ;'  w^as  his  remark  when  I  had  brought  my 
narrative  to  a  conclusion  ;  *  let  the  wretched  old  wo- 
man be  arrested,  and  put  upon  her  trial.' 

"  '  Sire ;'  I  ventured  to  suggest;  *  such  a  course  would 
involve  the  disgrace  of  the  whole  family.' 

"  '  I  cannot  conscientiously  leave  so  monstrous  a 
scheme  of  crime  unpunished,'  said  Kapoleon. 

"  '  Most  undoubtedly  not  ;'  was  my  reply  ;  *  nor 
would  I  for  an  instant  counsel  Your  Majesty  to  do  so  ; 
but  it  appears  to  me  that  we  could  not  have  a  more  fit- 
ting opportunity  for  availing  ourselves  of  one  of  the 
expedients  of  the  ancien  regime.  Permit  me.  Sire,  to 
arrest  this  modern  Brinvilliers ;  and  let  her  wear  out 
the  rest  of  her  days  in  confinement.' 

"  1  then  explained  to  the  Emperor  the  plan  which 
had  suggested  itself  to  me  on  my  way  to  the  palace ; 
and  he  had  no  sooner  sanctioned  its  adoption  than  I 
dispatched  a  party  of  my  police  to  seize  the  Countess 
in  her  chateau,  which  was  easily  efi'ected,  and  by  noon 
the  next  day  she  was  safely  lodged  between  four  stone 
walls,  under  an  accusation  of  conspiracy.  Her  husband 
and  her  sons  came  to  me  to  implore  my  clemency ; 
assuring  me  that  I  had  been  led  into  error,  as  my 
prisoner  had  never  in  her  life  taken  the  slightest 
interest  in  politics,  or  in  anything  beyond  the  welfare 
of  her  family.     In  reply  I  simply  requested  them  to 


A   COMPANY  or  GRENADIERS.  155 

accompany  mo  to  a  private  room ;  where,  opening  an 
iron  chest  the  key  of  which  I  always  carried  about  me, 
I  displayed  to  their  astonished  eyes  the  deadly  com- 
pounds that  I  had  seized  under  her  roof,  all  labelled  in 
the  well-known  writing  of  their  miserable  relative. 
Heart-wrung  and  bewildered,  they  attempted  to  articu- 
late a  few  incoherent  acknowledgments  for  my  con- 
sideration in  concealing  so  fatal  a  secret  from  the  world ; 
and  then  took  their  leave.  Facts  are  witnesses  which 
nothing  can  contravene. 

"  The  countess  herself  asked  no  question  as  to  the 
cause  of  her  incarceration ;  but  a  month  or  two  subse- 
quently, having,  by  some  method  of  which  I  am  igno- 
rant, contrived  to  procure  one  of  her  favorite  potions, 
she  delivered  herself  from  the  shame  and  tedium  of  an 
existence  which  she  was  unable  to  endure ;  and  passed 
out  of  the  world  with  the  reputation  of  a  worthy 
woman,  whose  days  had  been  abridged  by  unmerited 
pei'secution. 

"  So  much  for  the  romance  of  real  life  I "  concluded 
the  ex-Police-Minister,  with  a  bitter  laugh. 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

A   C50MPANY   OF   GRENADIERS. 


On  the  24th  of  October,  1812,  the  first  corps  of  the 
French  army  having  received  an  order  to  evacuate 
Moscow,  arrived  at  Maloijaroslavetz  in  time  to  share 


156  EPISODES  OF   FKEXCH  HISTORY. 

in  the  glorious  engagement  in  which  Prince  Eugene, 
at  the  head  of  the  4th  corps,  proved  victorious  over 
the  concentrated  forces  of  the  enemj.  The  battle  was 
obstinate  and  bloody;  and  the  little  town  was  vigo- 
rously and  gallantly  contested  on  both  sides,  and  was 
several  times  taken  and  retaken  before  the  close  of  the 
day,  when  the  French  ultimately  secured  its  possession. 

Colonel  Kobilinski,  one  of  the  aides-de-camp  of  Mar- 
shal Davoust,  while  galloping  along  the  line  to  deliver 
an  order,  was  struck  by  a  cannon-shot,  fell  from  his 
horse,  and  was  supposed  to  have  been  killed ;  but  as 
the  marshal  was  riding  slowly  over  the  field,  a  man 
covered  with  blood  suddenly  raised  himself  upon  his 
elbow  in  the  midst  of  a  heap  of  dead,  and  faintly 
exclaimed : — 

"  What !  comrades,  will  you  leave  me  here  to  perish 
without  help?" 

It  was  Colonel  Kobilinski  who,  it  was  generalfy 
believed,  should  he  have  escaped  with  life,  must  have 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  A  litter  was  has- 
tily constructed  by  the  men  of  the  escort,  and  the  suf- 
ferer was  soon  under  the  hands  of  a  surgeon.  His 
wound  was,  however,  of  so  frightful  a  nature,  that 
when  it  had  been  carefully  examined  the  surgeon 
exchanged  with  Davoust  a  glance  which  betrayed  that 
he  had  no  hope  of  saving  his  patient.  Nevertheless, 
by  desire  of  the  marshal,  with  whom  the  gallant  young 
Pole  was  an  especial  favorite,  it  was  resolved  that  his 
wounded  leg  should  be  amputated  at  the  hip ;  but  the 
agony  of  the  operation  proved  so  intense  that  Kobi- 
linski having,  as  a  last  farewell,  convulsively  pressed 
the  hand  of  his  general,  once  more  became  unconscious. 


A  COMPANY  OF  GRENADIERS.  167 

On  the  following  day  an  order  arrived  for  Davoust 
immediately  to  quit  the  Kaloiiga  road,  and  to  fall  back 
upon  that  of  Wilna,  from  which  point  the  retreat  was 
to  be  eftected ;  and  the  troops  were  already  in  the  act 
of  commencing  their  march,  when  an  officer,  whom  the 
mai-shal  had  sent  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  his  aide- 
de-camp,  returned  with  the  information  that,  contrary 
to  all  the  expectations  of  the  surgeon,  he  still  lived. 
Davoust,  resolved  tliat  the  unfortunate  man  should  not 
be  abandoned  in  his  last  hours  to  the  vengeance  of  the 
Russians,  was  still  unable  to  devise  any  means  of 
transport  which  would  secure  his  safety.  The  hospital 
wagons  had  been  left  in  the  rear ;  all  the  baggage  was 
burnt;  what  was  to  be  done?  Suddenly  a  thought 
struck  him;  and  halting  a  company  of  grenadiers 
who  were  at  the  moment  defiling  before  him,  he  said 
impressively : — 

"  Soldiers  !  My  aide-de-camp  Colonel  Kobilinski  has 
had  his  thigh  shattered  by  a  ball.  He  is,  as  you  all 
know,  a  Pole  ;  and  he  must  not  be  allowed  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  bitterest  enemies  of  his  country.  He 
has  served  France  well  and  bravely ;  and  it  is  but  fit- 
ting that  Frenchmen  should  show  how  they  can  repay 
the  debt.  I  confide  him  to  the  care  of  your  company. 
It  will  be  a  service  of  danger  ;  as,  thus  burthened,  you 
will  be  unable  to  keep  up  with  your  comrades  on  a  forced 
march ;  but  I  know  that  you  will  do  your  duty  when  I 
tell  you  to  guard  him  as  sacredly  as  you  would  guard 
your  colors." 

A  murmur  of  assent  ran  along  the  line.  The  grena- 
diers fell  back  in  order  that  the  troops  by  whom  they 
had  hitherto  been  followed  might  advance  ;  and  then, 


158  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

having  laid  Kobilinski  as  commodiously  as  they  were 
able  to  do  upon  his  litter,  thej  placed  him  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  company,  and  followed  the  retrograde  move- 
ment of  the  army.  With  the  tenderness  of  women  rather 
than  the  roughness  of  war-beaten  veterans,  they  bore  the 
wounded  man  along ;  occasionally  stopping  to  change 
his  bearers,  or  to  deprive  themselves  of  some  portion 
of  their  own  clothing  to  protect  him  still  more  from  the 
piercing  cold. 

Meanwhile  the  sufferer — grateful  for  the  care  of  his 
zealous  companions,  exulting  in  the  unhoped-for  kind- 
ness of  his  beloved  commander,  by  whom,  maimed  and 
helpless  as  he  was,  he  had  been  so  generously  cared  for, 
and  grateful  to  Providence  on  thus  finding  himself  still 
surrounded  by  familiar  and  friendly  faces — appeared, 
despite  the  anguish  produced  by  the  motion  of  the  lit- 
ter, to  awaken  to  renewed  hope ;  and  at  intervals  he 
expressed  his  conviction  that  the  skill  of  the  French 
surgeons  would  not  only  cure  his  wound,  but  even  ena- 
ble him  once  more  to  take  the  field. 

"  I  am  young,  comrades,"  he  said  cheerfully  ;  "and 
youth  has  a  strong  hold  on  life.  Who  knows  ?  I  may 
yet  have  a  glorious  career  before  me.  I  cannot  surely 
die  when  my  task  is  but  just  commenced." 

"  True,  Monsieur,  true ;"  was  on  one  of  these  occa- 
sions the  sympathising  reply  ;  "  our  marshal  cannot 
spare  you  yet.  Only  let  us  carry  you  safe  to  Wilna, 
and  all  will  soon  be  right  with  you  again.  AVhy,  here 
is  Jacques  Dufour  who  has  more  scars  upon  his  body 
than  he  has  teeth  in  his  head  ;  and  yet  if  he  chances  to 
have  a  sick  comrade  he  can  eat  his  ration  for  him  as 
well  as  his  own.    Take  a  pull.  Monsieur,  at  the  bottle 


A  COMPANY  OP  bRKNADIERS.  159 

which  the  doctor  said  was  to  help  you  over  the  road, 
and  keep  up  your  heart.  Peste  !  A  man  is  never 
fairly  gone  until  he  cannot  tell  a  Russ  from  a  French- 
man." 

Thus  passed  several  days  of  the  toilsome  and  weary 
march  of  the  gallant  little  band,  but  soon  the  sense  of 
solitude  in  tliat  desert  and  snow-covered  wilderness 
began  to  depress  the  stoutest  spirits ;  nor  was  this  the 
only  moral  evil  against  which  they  had  to  contend,  as 
they  gradually  became  conscious  tliat  the  retreat  which 
had  commenced  in  so  orderly  and  hopeful  a  manner 
had,  under  the  incessant  intensity  of  the  cold,  degene- 
rated into  a  disorganised  and  despairing  march.  Arms, 
military  equipments,  and  dead  horses  were  scattered  at 
intervals  along  the  road  ;  but  still  the  grenadiers 
pressed  forward,  seeking  to  conceal  from  their  wounded 
charge  the  terrible  evidences  of  ruin  about  them. 

Nor  were  they  even  permitted  to  struggle  on  in 
peace ;  for  in  a  few  hours  after  they  had  reached  these 
landmarks  of  misery  they  were  on  several  occasions 
attacked  by  bands  of  Cossacks,  who  bore  down  upon 
them  with  wild  and  savage  yells  ;  when,  closing  round 
the  litter,  they  either  fought  their  way  through  their 
blood-thirsty  opponents,  or  stood  firmly  to  repel  their 
attack.  Calm,  silent,  and  resolute ;  full  of  the  enthu- 
siasm of  a  great  duty  still  unaccomplished ;  worn  and 
weary  as  they  were,  they  scorned  to  yield  an  inch. 
Monuments  of  marble  have  ere  now  been  erected  in 
memory  of  deeds  of  heroism  which  must  have  yielded 
precedence  to  theirs ;  and  yet  the  sublime  devotion  of 
this  little  band  might,  ought,  and  would,  have  passed 
unregistered,  like  many  another  glorious  episode  in  the 


160  EPISODES   OF   FKENCH  HISTORY. 

great  drama  of  War,  had  none  been  spared  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  its  existence. 

Abandoned  to  themselves  in  an  enemy's  country ; 
their  limbs  benumbed  with  cold  ;  the  very  words  frozen 
in  their  throats ;  insufficiently  clothed  ;  scantily  fed ; 
and  delayed  upon  their  toilsome  march  by  their  help- 
less burthen,  one  recollection  sufficed  to  sustain  them  ; 
a  Marshal  of  France  had  said  : — "  I  confide  Kobilinski 
to  your  honor  ;  you  will  restore  him  to  me  ;"  and  they 
must  not  let  him  find  his  trust  in  them  misplaced.  Then 
military  discipline  became  indeed  the  germ  whence 
glory  sprang  up  in  the  long-enduring  spirits  of  these 
devoted  men.  There  was  no  one  by  to  witness  and  to 
applaud  their  struggles,  save  the  wandering  hordes  by 
whom  they  were  from  time  to  time  harassed,  and  almost 
overpowered  ;  and  when,  at  the  close  of  their  third 
week  of  sufi'ering  and  agony,  the  young  Pole  entreated 
them  with  clasped  hands  to  leave  him  to  die  alone,  and 
to  make  an  eff'ort  to  save  their  own  lives,  a  resolute 
refusal  met  him  on  all  sides. 

"  But,  comrades  ;"  he  urged  in  an  impassioned  voice, 
which  gained  strength  from  the  intensity  of  his  emo- 
tion ;  "  I  feel  that  I  am  sinking  fast ;  that  for  me  all 
hope  is  over ;  and  that  you  are  generously  sacrificing 
yourselves  for  one  who  ere  long  will  be  unable  even  to 
express  his  gratitude." 

"  Perhaps  so,  perhaps  not,  Monsieur ;"  growled  out 
Jacques  Dufour,  dashing  the  icicles  from  his  mous- 
tache ;  "  but  in  any  case  you  may  make  up  your  mind 
that,  dead  or  alive,  we  shall  take  you  into  Wilna,  and 
deliver  you  to  our  marshal ;  so  cover  your  head  with 
your  cloak,  and  leave  us  to  do  our  duty." 


A  COMPANY  or  GRENADIERS.  161 

"  Bnt,  my  good  Jacques " 

"Not  a  word  more,  Monsieur;  we  know  nothing 
about  Colonel  Kobilinski,  aide-de-camp  to  Marslial  Da- 
voust  here ;  we  have  received  our  orders,  and  shall 
obey  them.  You  are  to  us  only  a  wounded  man  on 
your  way  to  the  hospital  at  head-quarters." 

A  few  days  subsequently,  the  noble  fellow  who  had 
thus  spoken  awoke  from  the  deep  sleep  of  exhaustion 
into  which  the  whole  party  had  fallen  at  the  close  of 
several  hours  of  intense  toil,  only  to  find  that  when  he 
sought  to  arouse  his  comrades  in  order  that  they  might 
resume  their  march,  but  four  answered  to  his  summons. 
Tlie  rest  were  at  peace  I 

The  five  survivors  gazed  at  each  other  stupified  with 
horror,  and  then  they  glanced  at  the  Pole.  He  was 
motionless,  but  he  still  breathed ;  and  regardless  that 
by  such  a  precaution  they  doubled  their  own  labor, 
they  threw  over  him  several  of  the  great-coats  of  their 
dead  comrades,  lifted  the  litter,  and  slowly  and  in  silence 
once  more  moved  forward. 

On — and  on  ;  throughout  the  long,  long  day  ;  no  one 
to  share  and  to  lighten  their  toil ;  they  were  bnt  five  ; 
there  was  no  relay  of  labor ;  it  was  one  determined 
strain  of  nerve  and  will ;  and  lo  !  towards  evening,  in 
the  far  distance  they  traced  along  the  murky  atmo- 
sphere a  line  of  houses.  It  was  Wilna !  It  was  the 
promised  land !  It  was  the  haven  of  temporary  secu- 
rity and  rest. 

A  simultaneous  cry  of  triumph  burst  from  the  lips 
of  the  five  exulting  men  ;  and  in  the  next  instant  they 
were  talking  of  hope  and  comfort  to  the  rapidly-sinking 
Kobilinski.     Yain  vision  of  accomplished  duty  !     The 


162  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

revulsion  of  feeling  was  too  violent  for  the  weakened 
frames  of  these  military  martyrs ;  two  fell  and  died  ere 
they  had  reached  the  faubourgs  of  the  city ;  two  others 
tottered  on  a  few  paces  further — and  then  one — one 
only — the  veteran  Jacques  Dufour — was  left  to  dispute 
with  the  elements  the  numbed  and  motionless  body  in 
the  litter.  For  a  moment  he  stood  aghast ;  then  con- 
scious of  his  utter  inability  to  lift  it,  he  clutched  his 
fingers  fiercely  into  the  canvass  by  which  it  was  covered, 
and  dragging  it  after  him,  by  a  last  effort  of  strength 
rushed  on  until  his  culminating  shriek  of  agony  reached 
the  ear  of  the  nearest  sentinel. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  was  surrounded  by  his  comrades ; 
and  temporarily  invigorated  by  his  triumph  and  the 
slight  refreshment  afforded  by  their  canteens,  he  was 
enabled  to  superintend  the  removal  of  Kobilinski  to  the 
dilapidated  house  in  which  Marshal  Davoust  had  esta- 
blished his  head-quarters ;  when  having  ascertained 
that  medical  attendance  had  been  summoned,  and 
assured  himself  that  his  precious  charge  was  once 
more  carefully  laid  upon  a  comfortable  bed,  he  sent 
to  inform  the  marshal  that  the  grenadier  company  to 
whom  he  had  entrusted  his  aide-de-camp,  having  ful- 
filled his  orders,  requested  the  honor  of  an  interview. 

This  was  instantly  conceded. 

"  Where  is  Colonel  Kobilinski  ?  "  asked  Davoust. 

"  He  is  here.  Monsieur  le  Marechal." 

"And  the  Company?" 

"  Present,  mon  Marechal." 

"  I  ask  for  the  Company." 

"  I  have  answered :  Present." 

"  But  your  comrades  ? " 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  163 

"  Ha  I — my  comrades — Buried,  Monsieur  le  Marechal 
— in  the  snow  ! " 

Davoust  could  not  utter  a  word,  but  he  opened  his 
arms,  and  Jacques  Dufour  flung  himself  into  them. 

He  was  pressed  to  the  heart  of  a  Mai*shal  of  France 
— he  was  repaid,  amply  repaid,  he  thought,  for  weeks 
of  cruel  and  ahnost  unparalleled  suffering ;  but,  ere  the 
eyes  of  Kobilinski  closed  for  ever,  they  rested  upon  a 
red  ribbon  proudly  displayed  on  the  breast  of  Jacques 
Dufour. 


CHAPTER  Xm. 


A   8ECBET   MISSION. 


The  hereditary  Prince  of  Parma,  Infant  of  Spain, 
and  subsequently  (in  1801)  created  King  of  Etruria  by 
the  First  Consul,  died  on  the  2Tth  of  May,  1808,  leav- 
ing a  son  and  a  daughter ;  the  former  of  whom,  Charles 
Louis  II.,  was  proclaimed  on  the  day  of  his  father's 
death. 

In  a  previous  sketch  we  have  given  a  portrait  of  the 
young  and  royal  widow;  and  we  are  now  about  to 
relate  an  anecdote,  communicated  to  us  by  the  princi- 
pal actor  in  a  singular  episode  in  the  life  of  the  Emperor 
with  which  she  was  connected. 

"  There  existed,  tossing  about  the  world,"  said  the 

Marquis  d'A ,  "  a  certain  Chevalier  de  Comn,  an 

ex-page  of  Louis  XYL,  who  was,  if  I  do  not  mistake, 
a  native  of  Rouergue.    He  was  a  Knight  of  Malta,  an 


164  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

oflScer  of  cavalry,  and  a  man  of  very  ancient  and  noble 
family.  Like  most  of  the  nobles  who  emigrated,  he 
had  wandered  from  country  to  country,  and  liad  had 
a  host  of  adventures.  He  was,  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  what  the  softer  sex  at  that  period  called  a  pretty 
fellow;  almost  uneducated,  not  overburthened  with 
intellect,  but  exceedingly  good-looking:  with  a  fine 
figure,  a  liandsome  face,  and  a  facility  of  expression 
which  with  many  passed  for  wit,  and  with  all  served 
to  veil  the  real  vices  of  his  character.  Gay,  graceful, 
and  self-confident,  the  Chevalier  de  Cornn  had  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  the  aifections  of  the  niece  of  the 
Bishop  of  Bristol,  a  prelate  celebrated  throughout  the 
continent  for  his  lavish  expenditure,  his  avarice — 
strange  anomaly,  yet  not  more  strange  than  true — and 
his  liaisons  with  the  Countess  de  Lichtenau,  the  mistress 
of  Frederic  William  King  of  Prussia,  and  with  the  wife 
of  Sir  William  Hamilton. 

"  For  some  months  the  Bishop  refused  his  sanction  to 
the  marriage,  looking  upon  the  Chevalier  as  a  mere 
adventurer ;  but  the  tears  and  entreaties  of  his  young 
relative  at  length  prevailed,  and  M.  de  Cornn  became 
her  husband,  all  heretic  as  she  was,  without  renouncing 
the  cross  of  Malta. 

"  The  interest  of  the  prelate  obtained  for  his  nephew 
the  rank  of  colonel,  and  subsequently  that  of  lieutenant- 
general  in  the  army  of  Etruria ;  nor  was  it  long  before 
de  Cornn  secured  to  himself  the  good  graces  of  the 
widowed  queen. 

"  What  I  am  about  to  relate  to  you  occurred  when  I 
was  one  of  the  chamberlains  of  the  Emperor,  whom  I 
had  accompanied  to  Milan.     In  the  course  of  the  even- 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  165 

iiing  which  preceded  the  Coronation,  my  servant  deli- 
vered to  me  a  note,  which  ran  thus  : — 

"  *  A  traveller  and  an  emigi-ant,  half  French  half  Tus- 
can, an  old  friend  of  yours,  who  still  feels  a  great  re- 
gard for  you,  has  just  arrived  in  this  city  from  Florence. 
He  wishes  to  have  some  conversation  with  you  in  pri- 
vate ;  if  a  secret  of  the  greatest  importance  does  not 
appear  to  you  a  burden  too  heavy  to  bear,  on  a  subject 
too  serious  to  be  confided  to  paper. 

"  *  Reply  at  once ;  I  shall  await  you  at  my  hotel. 

"  '  The  Chevaliek  de  Coknn.' 

"  Curious  to  know  what  a  man  of  whom  I  had  lost 
sight  since  1789,  could  have  to  communicate  to  me  of 
so  mysterious  a  nature,  I  returned  a  verbal  reply  to 
the  effect  that  I  was  always  happy  to  meet  an  old 
friend  ;  and  ten  minutes  after  my  hand  was  grasped  in 
that  of  de  Cornn. 

"  He  was  still  a  noble-looking  man,  but  the  inroads 
of  dissipation  were  plainly  visible  in  his  appearance. 

" '  Well !'  he  exclaimed  ;  *  I  am  glad  to  see  that  for- 
tune has  not  played  you  false,  for  she  is  but  a  sorry  jade 
who  will  not  always  answer  to  the  spur.- 

"  '  You  appear  to  me  to  have  as  little  cause  of  com- 
plaint as  myself,'  was  my  rejoinder. 

"  '  Pshaw  !'  said  the  Chevalier  curling  his  lip  ;  '  you 
are  the  satellite  of  a  sun,  while  I  only  follow  in  the 
wake  of  a  star.  But  perhaps ;'  he  added  sententiously ; 
'  it  only  depends  upon  yourself  to  elevate  that  star  to 
the  height  of  your  superior  luminary.' 

"  *  "Which  doubtless  means ;'  I  replied  ;   ^  that  you 


166  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

would  have  no  objection  to  see  our  Emperor  the  hus- 
band of  your  Queen.' 

"  '  I  do  not  deny  it,'  assented  de  Cornn.  *  It  would 
not  be  an  undesirable  marriage  for  either  party.  Ka- 
poleon  could  not  unite  himself  to  a  woman  of  higher 
race  nor  of  more  amiable  disposition  than  Marie  Louise 
of  Spain ;  while  on  her  side,  she  can  desire  no  more  fit- 
ting husband  than  the  great  IN'apoleon.  She  is  young ; 
barely  twenty-three  years  of  age ;  and  already  the 
mother  of  two  children.  Will  you  undertake  to  nego- 
tiate this  afi'air  V 

"  '  If  I  consider  it  practicable  ;'  I  said  hesitatingly ; 
*  I  see  no  particular  reason  why  I  should  not  do  so ; 
but  the  Beauharnais  family  would  naturally  oppose  it — 
and  as  to  Josephine — it  would  be  her  death.  More- 
over, the  Emperor  is  stringent  upon  one  point ;  and  I 
shall  not  conceal  from  you  that  certain  unpleasant 
reports  have  reached  our  court — ' 

" '  Lies,  one  and  all !'  thundered  out  the  Chevalier. 

"  *  So  far,  so  good ;'  was  my  tranquil  rejoinder ;  *  but 
have  the  kindness  to  tell  me  who  will  answer  for  you  f 
Do  not  be  offended,  my  dear  de  Cornn,  but  I  must  tell 
you  frankly  that  for  such  a  mission — ' 

"  ^  I  have  my  passports — I  have  my  credentials — I 
have  my  instructions — '  again  broke  in  my  excitable 
companion.  'In  fact,  I  am  at  liberty  either  to  act 
secretly,  or  publicly  to  declare  my  official  character.' 

"  *  I  only  wish  that  you  had  the  power  to  establish 
your  private  one,'  said  I  with  a  smile. 

"  *  Come,  come ;  a  truce  to  joking,'  impatiently  ex- 
claimed the  Chevalier;  'I  believed  when  I  selected 
you  as  the  agent  in  this  afiair  that  I  was  doing  you  an 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  167 

essential  service ;  but  should  you  think  otherwise,  1 
know  that  you  will  keep  my  secret,  and  I  shall  find 
more  than  one  who  will  be  glad  to  profit  by  your 
refusal.' 

"  As  I  had  no  difficulty  in  perceiving  that  my  knight- 
errant  was  seriously  piqued  I  resumed  my  gravity,  and 
promised  that  I  would  give  my  best  attention  to  all 
that  he  might  desire  to  communicate  to  me;  upon 
which  he  stated  that  the  Queen  of  Etruria  had  sum- 
moned him  to  a  private  audience ;  and,  after  having 
pledged  him  to  secresy,  had  said  with  considerable 
emotion : — 

"  *  I  am  a  widow ;  my  life  is  a  perpetual  struggle  ; 
and  I  cannot  enforce  obedience.  I  admire  the  Em- 
peror, and  look  upon  him  as  the  model  of  European 
sovereigns.  I  would  willingly  become  his  wife ;  nor 
do  I  see  why  he  should  reject  my  hand.  By  marrying 
me  he  would  ally  himself  to  nearly  all  the  royal  fami- 
lies of  the  Continent ;  and,  should  we  have  no  other 
children,  my  son,  when  adopted  by  him,  would  be 
readily  recognised,  and  even  welcomed  by  the  foreign 
governments.' 

"There  was  considerable  truth  in  this  argument; 
and,  after  some  reflection,  I  resolved  to  run  the  risk, 
and  to  open  the  negotiation.  I  was  extremely  annoyed, 
however,  at  the  high  tone  assumed  by  a  nobody  like 
the  Chevlilier  de  Cornn  ;  he  was  so  unequal  to  the  diffi- 
culties and  niceties  of  his  position ;  he  was  so  deficient 
in  tact  and  delicacy  ;  while,  superadded  to  these  objec- 
tions, I  was  well  aware  of  the  aversion  of  the  Emperor 
for  all  intermeddling  by  a  Frenchman  in  the  interest 
of  a  foreign  power. 


168  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

"  This  I  communicated  frankly  to  my  companion, 
who  rej^lied  with  equal  sincerity  that  the  queen  having 
honored  him  by  so  unequivocal  a  proof  of  confidence, 
he  should  exert  all  his  energies  to  convince  her  that  it 
had  not  been  misplaced  ;  and  that,  moreover,  IS^apoleon 
must  be  well  aware  that  he  should  act  throughout  the 
afi*air  in  the  manner  which  might  be  most  agreeable  to 
His  Imperial  Majesty.  Having  received  this  assurance, 
I  promised  him  that  I  would  endeavor  that  very  even- 
ing to  obtain  an  audience  of  the  Emperor  at  his  coucher^ 
and  that  I  would  lose  no  time  in  apprising  him  of  the 
result  of  the  interview. 

"  I  then  returned  to  the  palace,  and  put  on  my  court- 
dress.  There  was  to  be  a  state  reception,  at  which, 
however,  I  despaired  of  finding  an  opportunity  of 
attracting  the  attention  of  Napoleon  ;  and  I  racked  my 
brains  painfully  to  devise  some  method  of  making  my 
request,  even  while  I  could  not  altogether  overcome 
my  uneasiness  at  the  conviction  that  should  Josephine 
herself,  or  any  of  her  relatives,  entertain  a  suspicion  of 
the  intrigue  to  which  I  was  about  to  become  a  party, 
and  it  should  fail,  my  favor  would  be  at  an  end  for 
ever. 

"  It  was  consequently  with  anything  rather  than  a 
festive  feeling  that  I  found  myself  in  the  midst  of  the 
courtly  crowd  which  thronged  the  saloons  of  my  Impe- 
rial master ;  nor  was  it  long  before  I  had  reason  to  be 
convinced  that  my  countenance  had  betrayed  me ;  for 
as  Napoleon's  eagle  eye  turned  on  me  for  an  instant,  he 
at  once  discovered  that  I  was  not  at  my  ease.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  passed  close  beside  me,  and  as  he  did  so  he 
looked  keenly  at  me,  and  asked  rapidly : — 


A  SECRET   MISSION.  169 

"*What  is  the  matter?  Do  you  want  to  tell  me 
anything?' 

"  *  An  audience,  Sire,'  I  replied  in  tlie  same  brief 
manner  ;  *  and  as  soon  as  possible.' 

"  *  Follow  me,'  was  the  reply. 

"  I  began  to  tremble  at  my  own  imprudence  as  I  saw 
the  decisive  moment  approach.  A  great  number  of  the 
Italian  nobility  of  both  sexes,  Frenchmen,  Germans, 
and  in  fact  foreigners  from  every  country  in  Europe,  all 
individuals  of  high  rank,  and  superbly  dressed,  were 
assembled  in  the  spacious  and  magnificent  reception- 
rooms  ;  but  all  eyes  were  fastened  upon  a  single  figure, 
that  of  Napoleon,  as  he  made  his  circuit,  surrounded  by 
the  great  oflScers  of  his  household. 

"  I  followed  him  at  a  distance,  as  he  turned  first  to 
the  right  and  then  to  the  left,  conversing  with  his  guests ; 
and  I  had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  remarking  that 
he  lingered  the  longest  beside  those  who  were  conspi- 
cuous from  their  talents  and  personal  qualities;  and, 
perhaps  somewhat  ostentatiously,  gave  little  of  his 
notice  to  those  who  had  nothing  to  distinguish  them 
beyond  their  rank.  Thus  he  discoursed  freely,  and 
with  evident  interest,  with  Melzi  (afterwards  Duke  of 
Lodi),  Dandolo  Cicognario,  Marescalchi,  Aldini,  Som- 
mariva,  and  others  of  the  same  stamp  ;  and  even  still 
longer  with  Prince  Appioni,  and  the  Marquis  Cugnola, 
the  celebrated  architect. 

"  Finally  he  reached  an  open  window,  and  stepped 
out  upon  the  balcony,  motioning  me  to  follow ;  when 
instantly  all  the  courtiers  receded  a  few  paces, 
aware  that  their  close  attendance  was  no  longer  de- 
sired. 


170  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"^Well,  Marquis?'  he  exclaimed  in  an  eager  but 
suppressed  voice  as  I  stood  beside  him. 

"  '  It  is  a  peculiar  affair,  Sire  ;'  I  said,  ^  involving  no 
danger  either  to  Your  Majesty  or  to  the  Empire,  but 
nevertheless  important,  and  requiring  your  attention.' 

"  '  In  that  case  remain  where  you  are  until  I  send  for 
you  ;'  was  his  reply  ;  ^  and  then  follow  the  person  who 
will  say  :  "  We  shall  have  a  fine  day  to-morrow  ;"  an- 
swering him  by  some  sentence  into  which  you  intro- 
duce the  word  Italy ^ 

'' '  Sire  :'  1  said  hurriedly ;  *  do  not  let  that  person, 
whoever  he  may  be,  belong  to  the  household  of  the 
Empress.' 

"  I  cannot  describe  to  you  the  expression  of  surprise 
which  flitted  over  his  countenance  ;  it  was,  however,  as 
brief  as  a  lightning-flash,  and  without  uttering  another 
word  he  moved  away. 

"  As  I  returned  to  the  circle  I  found  that  I  had  sud- 
denly become  an  object,  not  only  of  intense  interest, 
but  almost  of  affection.  A  score  of  my  acquaintance 
who  had  simply  greeted  me  by  a  nod  when  I  first  en- 
tered the  room,  now  flocked  about  me  ;  several  among 
them  pressed  my  hand ;  and  all  were  dying  to  ask : 
*  "What  was  the  Emperor  saying  to  you  V  although  all 
were  too  accomplished  courtiers  to  venture  such  a  ques- 
tion. I  received  these  implied  congratulations  as  they 
deserved :  returned  smile  for  smile,  and  compliment 
for  compliment ;  and  when  I  at  length  succeeded  in 
escaping  from  the  friendly  importunities  of  my  im- 
promptu admirers,  I  wended  my  way  towards  a  bevy 
of  ladies,  who  received  me  with  such  exaggerated  gra- 
ciousness  that  I  nearly  lost  patience,  aware  that  I  was 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  171 

indebted  for  this  unwonted  attention  to  the  presumed 
confidence  and  favor  of  tlie  Emperor. 

"  When  lie  re-entered  the  saloon,  Napoleon  addressed 
himself  with  marked  courtesy  to  Prince  N6ri  Corsini 
and  the  Chevalier  Fossombroni,  the  two  ambassadors 
of  the  Queen  of  Etruria,  who  had  been  sent  to  Milan  to 
assist  at  his  Coronation  ;  and  I  felt  inclined  to  laugh  as 
I  remembered  what  a  sorry  figure  the  said  diplomatists 
would  soon  present,  when,  while  they  were  entrusted 
with  nothing  but  empty  compliments,  a  hare-brained 
Frenchman,  without  talent  and  without  position,  would 
perhaps  be  negotiating  the  marriage  of  their  sovereign 
with  the  very  potentate  at  whose  court  they  were 
parading  their  importance ;  utterly  ignorant  of  the  mo- 
mentous afifair,  which  must,  should  it  be  brought  to  a 
favorable  issue,  revolutionise  their  country. 

"  I  took  little  pleasure  in  what  was  going  on  about  me, 
although  I  had  never  witnessed  a  more  brilliant  spec- 
tacle. Anxious  and  unnerved,  I  was  unable  to  enter 
into  the  frivolous  conversation,  and  equally  frivolous 
amusements  of  the  unthinking  crowd  who  were  ab- 
sorbed by  anticipations  of  the  morrow's  ceremony ;  and 
I  was  consequently  rejoiced  when  at  midnight  the  Em- 
peror and  Empress  withdrew  to  their  private  apart- 
ments, and  the  guests  gradually  disappeared. 

"  I  passed  nearly  an  hour  in  the  deserted  saloon  in 
which  Napoleon  had  desired  me  to  await  his  summons; 
and  more  than  once  during  that  interval  M.  de  Comn 
would  have  found  cause  for  a  duel  could  he  have  read 
my  thoughts,  and  known  the  fate  to  which  I  devoted 
him.  Nor  could  I  altogether  absolve  myself.  Jose- 
phine had  ever  been  to  me  an  indulgent  mistress,  had 


172  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

treated  me  with  confidence,  and  had  served  me  when- 
ever it  was  in  her  power  to  do  so.  And  how  was  I 
about  to  requite  her  kindness  ?  Bj  wounding  her 
in  the  tenderest  point — by  opposing  to  her  a  rival  of 
royal-blood — and  by  estranging  from  her  (should  my 
mission  prove  successful),  the  aifections  of  her  husband 
— waning  affections  already,  it  is  true ;  but  of  that  fact 
the  world  knew  nothing,  nor  would  she  confess  it  even 
to  her  own  heart. 

"  My  reflections  were  far  from  pleasant,  and  I  was 
consequently  by  no  means  sorry  when,  as  the  time- 
piece pointed  to  a  few  minutes  before  one,  the  Count 
de  Beausset,  the  prefect  of  the  palace,  sauntered  into 
the  saloon,  and  smothering  a  yawn,  exclaimed  in  appa- 
rent surprise,  as  he  approached  me : — 

"  *  Ha  !  Marquis,  what,  are  you  still  here  ? ' 

"  '  As  you  see.  Count.' 

"  ^  Pardi  !  You  must  be  made  of  iron  to  remain  out 
of  your  bed  so  late  when  you  remember  what  you  will 
have  to  go  through  some  hours  hence.  All  I  trust  is ;' 
he  added  with  marked  emphasis ;  *  that  we  shall  have 
a  fine  day  to-morrow.'' 

"  *•  I  echo  thfe  hope,  particularly  for  Italy ; '  I  replied, 
with  equally  marked  intonation  ;  '  as  it  will  open  for 
her  a  brilliant  and  happy  future.' 

"De  Beausset  smiled,  and  motioned  me  with  his 
hand  to  follow  him.  We  passed  through  several 
rooms  which  I  had  never  previously  entered,  and 
finally  we  reached  the  door  of  the  Emperor's  private 
closet,  before  which  Roustan  was  standing  guard.  He 
exchanged  a  password  with  the  count,  and  then  rais- 
ing the  tapestry  which  veiled  the  entrance  he  drew 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  178 

back,  and  I  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  Napo- 
leon. 

"  *  Now  for  your  news,  Marquis ;'  said  His  Majesty, 
scarcely  allowing  me  time  to  perform  my  salutation. 
*  When  I  first  caught  a  glimpse  of  you  to-night,  I 
believed  that  you  had  just  been  initiated  into  the 
secret  of  some  serious  conspiracy ;  but  from  your  last 
words  I  have  since  been  inclined  to  believe  that,  grave 
and  agitated  as  you  were,  you  are  merely  an  emissary 
of  Hymen.  You  have  a  marriage  to  propose  to  me,  if 
I  mistake  not.' 

"As  I  discovered  that  I  had  been  imprudent  enough 
to  betray  my  secret  so  easily,  I  felt  ready  to  sink.  How 
poor  an  opinion  must  this  extraordinary  man  have 
formed  of  my  self-command;  and  how  improbable  it 
was  that  henceforward  he  would  ever  honor  me  with 
his  confidence. 

" '  Answer  me,  Monsieur ;  am  I  right  or  wrong  ?'  he 
continued,  before  I  had  recovered  sufl&cient  composure 
to  reply  to  his  first  address. 

"  '  Sire,'  I  said  with  some  trepidation ;  '  my  position 
is  an  invidious  one ;  the  duty  which  I  owe  to  Your 
Majesty  on  the  one  hand ;  and  the  respectful  attach- 
ment which  I  feel  for  the  Empress  on  the  other — ' 

"  ^  Duty  first,  Monsieur,'  broke  in  the  Emperor  im- 
patiently ;  '  duty  before  all  other  considerations.' 

"  '  So  shall  it  be,  since  such  is  the  will  of  Your  Majes- 
ty;'  I  replied,  with  a  profound  bow ;  and  I  forthwith 
informed  him,  Tvithout  omitting  a  single  detail,  of  all 
that  had  passed  between  the  Chevalier  de  Cornn  and 
myself;  concluding  my  recital  by  communicating  to 
him  what  I  knew  of  the  extraordinary  individual,  to 


174  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

whom  the  Queen  of  Etruria  had  entrusted  so  delicate  a 
mission. 

"Napoleon  mused  for  a  moment,  and  then  looking 
fixedly  and  somewhat  sadlj  towards  me,  he  said 
slowly : — 

"  ^  Monsieur  le  Marquis,  it  is  always  a  melancholy 
circumstance  when  political  interests  are  at  variance 
with  family  affections.  I  cannot  look  into  the  future, 
nor  foretell  what  sacrifice  the  welfare  of  France  may 
one  day  exact  from  me.  I  will  not  permit  any  one,  be 
it  whom  it  may,  to  anticipate  my  views  or  my  pur- 
poses. I  have  no  intention  of  severing  the  bond  which 
unites  me  to  the  Empress ;  and  it  gives  me  pleasure  to 
be  convinced  of  your  devotion  to  her  person.  I  never- 
theless thank  you  for  your  confidence.  I  should  and 
will  know  everything.  Under  other  circumstances  I 
might  have  been  inclined  to  weigh  the  advantages  of 
an  alliance  with  the  royal  family  of  Spain ;  but  in  no 
case — ^plebeian  as  many  of  the  highest  nobles  in  the 
Empire  might  esteem  such  a  resolution — would  I  con- 
sent to  become  the  husband  of  any  woman  who  Avas 
not  pure  alike  in  heart  and  mind ;  and,  consequently, 
I  could  not  accept  the  hand  of  the  Queen  of  Etruria. 
You  understand,  Monsieur,  that  I  say  this  merely  sup- 
posing that  I  had  the  project  of  annulling  mj  present 
marriage ;  but  the  sole  motive  of  my  refusal  in  this  case, 
is  to  be  formally  attributed  entirely  to  my  attachment 
to  the  Empress,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  ten  years 
of  happiness.  You  must  not  mistake  me,  M.  le  Mar- 
quis ;  that,  you  understand,  is  the  sole  motive  of  my 
refusal.' 

^'Encouraged  by  the  confidential  tone  of  the  Emperor, 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  175 

I  ventured  reftpectfully  to  suggest  that  if  one  of  his 
brothers — 

"  *  No,  sir,'  he  interrupted  abruptly  ;  *  Joseph  and 
Louis  are  both  married  to  my  entire  satisfaction — as 
for  Lucien,  I  have  nothing  to  say — while  I  have  other 
views  for  J6r6me.  Moreover,  an  alliance  with  the 
house  of  Bourbon  would  provoke  the  comments  of  the 
English,  and  perhaps  involve  me  some  time  hence  in 
difficulties.  Besides  the  Queen  of  Etruria  has  a  son — 
would  you  ask  me  to  see  my  children  wait  for  a  crown 
until  hers  died  or  abdicated  ? ' 

"  Then  suddenly  changing  the  subject, he  asked  me :  — 

" '  Is  this  Chevalier  de  Cornn  noble  ? ' 

"'Sire;'  I  replied;  'he  is  the  descendant  of  an 
ancient  and  noble  family  of  Rouerque ;  a  Knight  of 
Malta,  and  was  formerly  page  to  Louis  XVI.  He  is 
now  in  the  service  of  Etruria,  and  is  the  husband  of 
the  Bishop  of  Bristol's  niece.' 

" '  I  undei-stand  ; '  said  tlie  Emperor,  with  a  scornful 
smile ;  '  he  is  one  of  those  adventurers  who  only 
achieve  importance  out  of  their  own  country.  Could 
not  tlie  Queen  of  Etruria — a  Bourbon — have  found 
something  better  than  that  to  intrust  with  such  a 
mission  ? ' 

" '  He  is  a  man  of  honor,  Your  Majesty ; '  I  ventured 
to  reply,  stung  by  the  contempt  that  he  evinced  for 
the  individual  with  whom  I  had  so  inconsiderately 
involved  myself  in  an  affair  which,  with  common  pru- 
dence, I  should  have  avoided  altogether  ;  '  but  he  is  an 
emigrant,  who,  in  his  recklessness,  has  contracted  an 
absurd  and  unpatriotic  marriage.' 

" '  And  who  is  not  yet  weary  of  endeavoring  to  per- 


176  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

petrate  the  same  folly ; '  said  I^apoleon,  still  in  the 
withering  accent  of  sarcasm ;  '  can  it  be  possible  that 
crowned  heads  can  employ  such  agents  ?  Surely  they 
must  select  these  men,  dropped  from  the  clouds,  in 
order  that  they  may  be  at  liberty  to  recognise  or  ignore 
them,  as  circumstances  may  render  most  convenient. 
Such  is  not  my  system.  However,  I  will  see  this 
Knight  of  Malta.  Bring  him  to  the  palace  before 
seven  o'clock  to-morrow  morning ;  and  now  go  to  your 
bed.' 

"  I  have  given  only  the  broad  outline  of  this  conversa- 
tion, which  lasted  at  least  an  hour ;  and  it  was  conse- 
quently past  two  in  the  morning  when  I  left  the  palace 
to  apprise  the  chevalier  that  [N'apoleon  would  grant 
him  an  audience. 

"  I  did  not  wait  to  change  my  dress,  but  proceeded  at 
once  to  the  hotel,  where  I  found  the  ex-page  of  Louis 
XYI.  in  a  sound  sleep.  My  apparition  in  full  dress, 
as  I  descended  from  one  of  the  Imperial  carriages, 
attended  by  footmen  in  the  Emperor's  livery,  and 
lighted  by  the  four  flambeaux  which,  according  to  court 
etiquette,  always  accompanied  the  equipages  of  His 
Majesty,  electrified  the  whole  household,  which  was  in 
a  few  seconds  a  scene  of  inextricable  confusion. 

"  The  landlord,  hoping  that  I  had  come  to  establish 
myself  under  his  roof,  conducted  me  with  many  bows 
and  offers  of  service  to  the  jpiano  nobile  j  and  was 
inexhaustible  in  his  praises  of  the  situation  and  capa- 
bilities of  his  establishment.  I  hastened  to  undeceive 
him  by  explaining  that  I  was  attached  to  the  person  of 
the  Emperor,  and  that  I  consequently  resided  in  the 
palace ;  after  which  I  informed  him  of  the  purpose  of 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  177 

my  visit,  expressing  at  the  same  time  my  regret  that  I 
sliould  have  occasioned  so  much  trouble  at  so  late  an 
hour.  The  voluble  host  replied  by  protestations  of 
devotion  and  aflfection  towards  His  Imperial  Majesty; 
and  an  assurance  that  both  he  and  all  he  possessed 
were  at  the  disposal  of  one  honored  by  the  confidence 
of  so  great  a  sovereign  ;  while  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
I  was  enabled  to  make  him  understand  that  he  must 
forthwith  awaken  the  chevalier. 

"  *  Seflor  Marchese — '  he  said,  with  an  obsequious 
smile  ;  '  JUustris»i7na  ExceUenza^  I  doubt  that  his  lord- 
ship would  hear  me,  even  if  I  were  to  shout  in  his  ear 
the  names  of  all  the  most  beautiful  women  in  Milan, 
for  he  sleeps  like  a  monk  ;  but  if  you  authorise  me  only 
to  breathe  through  the  keyhole  the  august  name  of  our 
Emperor,  I  wager  my  life  that  you  will  have  him  on  his 
feet  in  a  second.' 

"  Highly  diverted  by  the  rhodomontade  of  the  burly 
landlord,  I  gave  him  full  power  to  arouse  the  sleeper 
in  his  own  way,  provided  that  he  did  so  at  once ;  and 
at  length  he  departed  on  his  errand,  and  left  me  alone 
in  one  of  those  spacious  Italian  rooms,  hung  with  pic- 
tures and  denuded  of  furniture,  which  depress  the 
spirits,  and  throw  the  mind  back  upon  the  past  when 
it  should  be  occupied  by  the  interests  of  the  present. 

"  After  what  appeared  to  me  a  dreary  interval,  he 
reappeared  with  de  Cornn,  only  half  dressed,  less  than 
half  awake,  but  thoroughly  alarmed  by  my  appearance 
at  so  unseemly  an  hour.  I  soon  succeeded,  however, 
in  calming  his  terrore  by  showing  him  the  written 
order  which  I  had  received  from  the  Emperor  for  his 
admission  to  the  palace ;  and  I  then  prepared  to  leave 

8" 


178  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

him,  in  order  to  take  a  few  hours'  rest,  but  he  would 
not  hear  of  my  departure. 

"'Konsense!'  he  said,  with  the  air  of  a  man  who 
would  not  be  denied ;  '  what  is  the  use  of  going  to  bed 
just  at  daybreak  ?  Come,  my  dear  fellow,  let  us  live 
over  again  one  of  the  scenes  of  our  youth.  The  land- 
lord has  some  capital  wine  in  his  cellar ;  excellent 
Monte-Fiascone  and  Lacryma-Christi ;  I  will  desire  him 
to  bring  us  up  a  few  bottles,  wdth  some  paste  frolle^ 
counters,  cards,  and  dice,  and  we  will  pass  the  time 
joyously  until  we  resume  our  diplomatic  duties.' 

"I  detest  alike  wine  and  cards,  but  I  acquiesced  in  the 
proposal  of  the  chevalier  from  mere  idleness  ;  as,  being 
already  dressed  for  the  audience  to  which  we  had  been 
summoned,  I  shrank  from  the  exertion  of  undergoing 
the  same  process  within  so  short  a  space  of  time.  As 
for  de  Cornn,  he  would  have  gambled  beside  the  crater 
of  Vesuvius  during  an  eruption.  He  played  all  games 
of  chance  admirably,  but  at  the  same  time,  honorably  ; 
and  with  a  constitutional  carelessness  which  had  more 
than  once  nearly  involved  him  in  ruin.  We  played  on 
for  several  hours,  and  at  length  rose  from  the  table, 
neither  having  won  or  lost  suflScient  to  create  annoy- 
ance ;  and  while  the  chevalier  retired  to  his  own  room 
to  assume  his  court-dress,  I  stretched  myself  in  an  easy 
chair  to  await  his  coming. 

"  Despite  the  occupation  of  the  last  few  hours,  he 
showed  no  traces  of  weariness  ;  and  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  hard  lines  upon  his  face,  indicating  rather 
excess  than  age,  looked  superbly  handsome.  The  car- 
riage was  brought  round  ;  and  at  half-past  six  we  were 
in  the  private  drawing-room  of  the  Emperor. 


A   SECRET   MISSION.  179 

"It  was,  even  at  that  early  Lour,  thronged  with 
courtiers,  noble,  military,  ecclesiastical,  civil,  and 
foreign,  all  waiting,  not  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  an 
audience  of  His  Majesty,  but  simply  to  see  him  pass  on 
his  way  to  be  crowned. 

"  As  on  the  previous  night,  it  was  M.  de  Beausset  who 
conducted  us  to  the  Imperial  closet ;  and,  on  a  signal 
of  the  prefect,  I  followed  him,  beckoning  to  de  Cornn 
to  accompany  us. 

"  Our  astonishment  was  not  slight,  when  on  entering 
the  apartment  we  found  Napoleon  already  attired  in 
his  coronation  robes ;  but  they  were  not  the  same  as 
those  which  he  had  worn  on  a  similar  occasion  at 
Notre  Dame ;  the  prevailing  color  of  the  present  suit 
being  green. 

"  I  presented  my  companion  to  the  Emperor,  who 
looked  at  him  for  an  instant  as  though  he  would  read 
his  very  soul,  and  then  said : — 

"  '  You  emigrated  V 

"'Yes,  Sire.' 

"  '  Why  have  you  not  caused  your  name  to  be  erased 
from  the  list?' 

" '  Because,  having  entered  the  service  of  Her  Majesty 
the  Queen  of  Etruria,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  aU 
that  I  possess  (as  I  was  ruined  by  the  Kevolution),  I 
feared,  should  I  obtain  permission  to  return,  that  I 
should  not  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  army  of  a  foreign 
sovereign.' 

"  '  You  were  wrong  in  entertaining  such  a  supposition, 
Monsieur.  The  Queen  Marie  Louise  is  our  faithful  ally ; 
and  I  shall,  on  the  contrary,  always  feel  pleasure  in 
seeing  Frenchmen   in   her   service.     Apply  for  your 


180  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

reintegration  in  your  rights  of  citizenship.  Do  you 
hear,  Monsieur  ?     I  insist  upon  your  doing  so.' 

" '  Oh,  Sire,  an  equal  rank  in  your  own  army  to  that 
which  I  now  hold  would  be  the  summit  of  my  ambition.' 

"  'An  equal  rank !'  exclaimed  the  Emperor  proudly ; 
'  you  cannot  have  considered  what  you  ask.  Ere  long, 
M.  le  Chevalier,  every  French  captain  shall  be  the 
equal  of  a  foreign  colonel,  no  matter  of  what  nation. 
When  I  became  Sovereign  of  France,  I  resolved  to 
make  of  my  subjects  kings  and  princes  in  other  lands ; 
nor  have  I  changed  my  determination.  You  married 
the  daughter  of  the  Bishop  of  Bristol,  did  you  not  V 

"  '  His  niece.  Sire.' 

^' '  Ha !  Every  prelate  has  a  niece  or  two ;'  said  Na- 
poleon sarcastically ;  '  every  English  bishop  is  noto- 
rious for  his  sensuality  and  dissipation.  Does  this  one 
never  observe  to  you  how  advantageous  it  would  be  for 
his  countrymen  could  they  renew  their  commercial  re- 
lations with  France  ?  When  he  next  does  so  tell  him 
that  I  am  ready  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  the 
British  government  whenever  they  make  such  proposals 
to  me  as  I  consider  compatible  with  the  honor  of  the 
great  nation  which  I  represent.  Speak  to  your  father- 
in-law  of  the  advantages  which  must  accrue  to  those 
who  pave  the  way  to  a  solid  peace.  The  Lord  Bishop 
of  Bristol  is  a  clever  man,  with  as  many  debts  as  brains 
in  spite  of  his  large  fortune ;  you  are  far  from  rich ; 
and  it  will  depend  entirely  on  himself  to  get  rid  of  his 
creditors,  and  to  provide  generously  for  his  son-in-law. 
You  may  retire.  Messieurs.' 

"  And  we  withdrew  accordingly. 

"  As  soon  as  we  had  left  the  palace  I  remarked  to  the 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  181 

chevalier  tbat  if  the  Emperor  had  carefully  avoided  all 
mention  of  the  marriage,  he  had,  on  the  other  hand, 
opened  to  him  the  prospect  of  a  much  more  important 
negotiation. 

"  *  My  good  friend ;'  said  de  Comn ;  *  he  has  made 
me  a  second  Tantalus.' 

" '  In  what  can  you  possibly  resemble  the  thirsty  King 
of  Paphlagonia  V  I  asked  laughingly. 

"  '  He  has  shown  me  the  road  to  riches,  and  I  cannot 
follow  the  path.' 

"  *  And  why  ?' 

"  *  Because  the  bishop  so  cordially  detests  both  Napo- 
leon and  his  government,  that  if  he  had  a  treaty  of 
peace  actually  in  his  hand  he  would  refuse  to  open  it. 
So  intense,  indeed,  is  his  hatred,  that  I  dare  not  even 
tell  him  that  such  a  proposition  has  been  made  by  the 
Emperor.' 

"  '  You  are  mad !'  I  retorted  ;  '  and  should  remember 
what  a  serious  responsibility  you  are  taking  upon  your 
self.' 

"  'I  know  my  man,  Marquis ;'  persisted  the  chevalier; 
*  and  I  also  know  that  every  offer  which  might  reach 
him,  even  indirectly,  from  Napoleon,  would  be  instantly 
rejected.' 

"  I  could  not  credit  this  assertion,  and  I  still  urged  de 
Comn  to  make  the  attempt ;  after  which  we  laughed 
together  over  the  pertinacity  of  the  Emperor  in  calling 
the  English  prelate  the  father-in-law  of  the  Chevalier 
instead  of  his  uncle ;  and  finally  I  induced  him  to  com- 
ply with  the  suggestion  he  had  received,  and  to  com- 
municate without  delay  with  the  bishop. 

"  Meanwhile  the  plenipotentiary  pro  tern,  was  some- 


182  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

what  embarrassed  by  tbe  reply  which  it  was  necessary 
to  carry  back  to  his  royal  mistress,  who  was  impatiently 
awaiting  his  return  ;  and  he  had  no  sooner  entered  her 
presence  than  she  eagerly  inquired  whether  he  brought^ 
her  good  or  bad  news  ?  The  chevalier  was  too  gallant 
and  too  thoroughly  a  courtier  to  tell  his  tale  with  per- 
fect accuracy,  and  he  consequently  replied  that  his 
intelligence  partook  of  both  the  qualities  Her  Majesty 
had  named;  and  when  Marie  Louise  desired  him  to 
explain  so  ambiguous  an  answer  he  said  respectfully : — 

"  '  Madam,  what  I  sought  to  imply  was,  that  it  is  bad 
for  the  present,  but  good  as  regards  the  future.  The 
Emperor  will  not,  he  declares,  separate  himself  from 
Josephine  at  this  particular  crisis ;  but  he  allowed  me 
to  perceive  in  the  clearest  manner,  and  beyond  all 
possibility  of  doubt,  that  should  circumstances  one 
day  induce  him  to  consent  to  a  divorce  desired  by 
the  whole  Empire,  he  will  solicit  the  hand  of  Your 
Majesty.' 

"  Almost  ludicrous  as  such  a  report  as  this  upon  so 
delicate  a  subject  would  have  appeared  to  an  unpreju- 
diced listener,  Marie  Louise,  nevertheless,  seriously 
believed  in  its  truth;  and  her  vanity  and  self-love 
were  both  gratified.  She  saw  in  perspective  her  brow 
cinctured  by  the  Imperial  diadem;  and  in  the  first 
rush  of  her  delight  she  bestowed  upon  the  chevalier 
the  rank  of  a  geueral. 

"  What  must  have  been  the  reflections  of  the  unhappy 
queen  when,  only  a  short  time  subsequently,  she  was 
deprived  of  her  crown,  in  order  that  her  kingdom 
might  be  annexed  to  the  Empire ;  and  when  finally 
the  Emperor  married  her  namesake  of  Austria.     For- 


A  SECRET  MISSION.  188 

tunately  for  the  chevalier  he  was  no  longer  at  Florence 
wlien  these  events  took  place;  he  had  returned  to 
France,  reclaimed  his  rights  of  citizenship,  and  had 
established  himself  at  Toulouse,  where  he  had  a  mar- 
ried sister. 

"  Having  inefi'ectually  endeavored  to  enter  the  mili- 
tary service  of  Napoleon,  he  died  while  still  a  young 
man,  in  a  country-house  on  one  of  the  banks  of  the 
Garonne,  a  year  or  two  after  he  had  become  a  widower. 

"In  the  interim  the  Emperor  had  commenced  the 
campaign  of  Austerlitz ;  and  after  his  departure  from 
Paris  I  received  a  letter  from  de  Comn,  which  I  did 
not  consider  it  expedient  to  communicate  to  His 
Majesty.     Tliese  were  its  contents : — 

"  *  I  have  not  neglected  the  honorable  mission  which 
was  confided  to  me  by  the  greatest  man  of  the  age.  I 
spoke  to  the  bishop  on  the  subject  of  peace  and  inter- 
national commerce,  as  I  was  instructed  to  do  in  your 
presence ;  and  with  considerable  energy,  as  I  was 
anxious  to  succeed.  He  at  once  refused  to  listen  to 
any  such  proposal,  and  concluded  his  indignant  tirade 
by  saying  :— 

"  '  England  would  not  exist  ten  years  if  she  were  for 
half  that  period  to  be  at  peace  with  France.  To  re- 
main powerful  as  she  is,  she  must  rigidly  persevere  in 
her  present  policy ;  and  she  ought,  in  order  to  secure 
her  own  interests,  to  determine  upon  a  life-long  war 
with  Bonaparte.  You  may  therefore  imagine  in  what 
a  position  both  you  and  I  must  find  ourselves  should 
we  venture  even  to  speak  of  peace.' 

"  '  I  write  to  you  from  Toulouse,  w^here  I  have  become 
a  member  of  my  sister's  family.     I  have  five  nephews 


184  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

— magnificent  youths — for  whom,  had  I  any  interest 
with  the  Emperor,  I  should  assuredly  entreat  his  good 
ofiices.  As  it  is,  they  must  make  their  way  for  them- 
selves. 

" '  Adieu,  my  good  friend ;  I  embrace  you  with  all 
my  heart. 

"  *  Chevaliek  de  Cornn.' 

"  And  so  ended  my  first  intermeddling  (and  my  last) 
with  an  alliance  between  two  crowned  heads." 


CHAPTER   XIY. 

THE   EVE   OF   THE   CORONATION. 

The  present  chapter  is  the  verbatim  narrative  of  a 
lady  who  was  on  the  most  familiar  terms  with  the 
family  of  Napoleon,  and  who  was  present  when  the 
conversation  took  place  which  forms  its  subject.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  she  kept  a  diary,  in  which  figured 
the  "sayings  and  doings"  of  some  of  the  greatest 
celebrities,  and  most  extraordinary  personages  in 
Europe ;  or  that  to  this  fact  she  was  indebted  for  the 
accuracy  of  detail,  which  rendered  her  reminiscences 
both  singular  and  curious. 

"  It  was  on  the  evening  which  preceded  the  Corona- 
tion " — as  above  stated,  we  give  her  own  words — "  and 
all  the  Imperial  family  were  assembled  in  the  sleeping- 
room  of  the  Empress,  when  Murat  entered  as  brilliant 


THE   EVE  OF  THE  CORONATION.  186 

as  a  star,  attired  in  the  magnificent  costume  which  he 
was  to  wear  on  the  morrow.  He  was  eagerly  exa- 
mined, and  warmly  complimented. 

"  *  Our  ceremony  will  be  a  splendid  sight ;'  he  ob- 
served complacently. 

"  *  Yes ;'  said  his  wife ;  *  particularly  for  those  who 
enact  the  principal  parts.' 

"  *  And  who  shall  say  ;'  asked  the  Emperor ;  *  that 
yon  may  not  one  day  yourself  do  so  V 

"  *  Have  you  then  a  throne  to  bestow  upon  me, 
Napoleon  ?'  she  inquired  in  her  turn. 

"  ^  I  am  not  aware  that  tliere  is  a  vacant  throne  in 
Europe  ;'  observed  Joseph,  not  without  some  emotion. 

"  *  Tliey  may,  perhaps,  be  found  ' — smiled  Hor- 
tense. 

" '  There  can  be  no  doubt,'  remarked  Madame 
Bacciocchi;  'that  a  throne  is  an  excellent  lounging- 
chair.' 

"  *  In  which  you  may  rest  very  ill  at  ease ;'  said 
Josephine  with  a  sigh. 

"'Not  for  want  of  good  rocking,  at  all  events;' 
replied  Louis. 

"  '  A  throne  and  a  sceptre  ;'  said  the  Princess  Pau- 
line, turning  towards  the  Emperor  with  one  of  her  most 
beaming  smiles;  'are  pretty  things  when  they  are 
wreathed  with  roses,  or  garlanded  with  laurels,  as 
yours  will  be,  patello  mio.' 

"  '  You  are  very  amiable  to  think  so,  Pauline  ;'  was 
his  rejoinder,  as  he  pressed  his  lips  to  her  beautiful 
forehead  ;  '  but  Josephine  is  right ;  rest  was  not  meant 
for  crowned  heads.' 

" '  I  should  like  to  know ;'  broke  in  Madame-Mere  / 


186  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

*  wliat  are,  at  the  present  moment,  tlie  feelings  of  him 
who  considers  himself  King  of  France.' 

"  The  remark  was  so  thoroughly  unexpected  that 
there  was  a  momentary  silence,  which  was,  however, 
terminated  by  Napoleon. 

"  '  Madame ;'  he  said  gravely ;  '  the  Comte  de 
Provence,  who  is  a  man  of  sense  and  judgment,  will 
doubtlessly  employ  this  evening,  and  the  night  by 
which  it  is  succeeded,  in  cursing  the  flatterers  of  hia 
brother  and  sister-in-law ;  and  in  extending  his  male- 
dictions to  court-favorites  of  both  sexes,  to  unwise 
measures,  useless  expenditure,  bad  ministers,  and  coun- 
sellors either  treacherous  or  incapable.  He  will  deplore 
the  vices  of  his  grandfather,  the  weakness  of  Louis 
XYI.,  the  obstinacy  of  the  queen,  the  cupidity  and 
silliness  of  the  Polignacs,  the  mad  confidence  with 
which  the  States-General  were  assembled,  as  well  as 
the  cowardice  which  shrank  before  them;  and,  to 
crown  the  work,  the  irreparable  error  of  the  emigra- 
tion ;  for  those  were  the  positive  causes  of  his  own  mis- 
fortunes, and  of  my  more  prosperous  career.  Those 
were  the  serpents  by  which  he  was  devoured ;  he  is 
greatly  to  be  pitied ;  and  /  might  have  ameliorated  his 
fate.' 

"'Oh,  brother!'  exclaimed  Caroline — the  future 
Queen  of  Kaples — '  how  terrible  it  must  be  voluntarily 
to  renounce  a  crown  which  has  rested  during  so  many 
centuries  on  the  heads  of  one's  ancestors !  It  must  be 
far  more  bitter  than  to  surrender  life  itself  V 

u  i  y^QYQ  I  a  sovereign  ;'  observed  Murat ;  *  I  would 
never  resign  my  sceptre.  No  king  need  live  unthroned 
when  he  knows  how  to  die.' 


THE  EVE  or  THE  CORONATION.  187 

"  *  Brother ;'  said  Napoleon  sternly  ;  *  despair  can 
never  prostrate  a  really  royal  nature.  Patience  pos- 
sesses a  heroism  of  its  own ;  and  a  truly  great  man 
waits  until  some  favorable  turn  of  fortune  restores  him 
to  his  original  position.' 

"  *  In  that  case  ;'  said  Murat  laughingly  ;  *  my  star 
would  take  me  back  to  Figeac ;  but  I  shall  refuse  to 
follow  it  so  long  as  your  friendship  and  my  own  sword 
offer  me  an  alternative.' 

"  *  And  so  I  shall  be  crowned  to-morrow  !'  murmured 
Josephine,  as  if  unconsciously. 

"  *  My  dear  mother ;'  remarked  Hortense  with 
evident  exultation  ;  *  no  Empress  of  France  was  ever 
yet  crowned.' 

"  '  As  for  me  ;'  pursued  the  Emperor  with  a  smile  ; 
*  I  have  occasionally  created  some  magnificent  castles 
in  the  clouds ;  but  I  may  frankly  confess  that  none  of 
them  rivalled  the  Tuileries.  In  some  of  my  dreams  I 
have  certainly  believed  myself  to  be  wielding  the  sword 
of  Koland,  but  still  without  the  slightest  idea  that  I 
should  ever  exchange  it  for  the  crown  of  Charlemagne. 
At  all  events' — he  continued  with  increased  gravity  of 
tone  and  manner ;  '  I  never  gave  birth  to  any  chimeras 
unconnected  with  the  greatness  and  prosperity  of 
France.  Ever  since  the  year  1789  I  have  been  anxious 
to  see  her  powerful  and  prosperous ;  and  Providence 
has  selected  me  in  my  otvti  proper  person  to  realise  the 
yearnings  of  my  youth.  France  shall  receive  from  me 
all  that  I  have  desired  for  her ;  glory,  just  laws,  and  a 
sound  administration.  I  have  made  a  vow  to  do  all  for 
the  benefit  of  the  nation,  and  that  vow  I  will  never 
violate.' 


188  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  *  The  Pope  in  Paris — and  to  crown  my  son  !'  ex- 
claimed Madame  Letitia  ;  ^  "What  would  our  old  uncle 
the  canon  of  San-Miniato  say  if  he  were  still  alive  V 

"  '  Say ;'  replied  the  Emperor  ;  '  why,  he  would 
torment  me  beyond  all  endurance  to  have  him  cano- 
nized by  the  Pope  as  Father  Bonaventura  Bonaparte, 
Capucin  Indigne  of  the  monastery  of  Bologna,  and 
already  beatified.' 

"  '  What !  have  we  really  a  saint  in  the  family  ?'  was 
the  general  inquiry  of  Cardinal  Fesch ;  '  How  came 
you,  uncle,  never  to  tell  us  this  V 

"  ^  He  was  only  a  beatified  Italian,  and  not  a  saint ;' 
replied  the  Grand  Almoner,  striving  to  preserve  his 
dignity ;  '  and  I  have  consequently  a  right  to  ignore  his 
existence.' 

"  *  But  how  comes  it,  my  son  ;'  demanded  Madame- 
Mire  reproachfully  of  the  Emperor ;  ^  that  you  have 
never  apprised  me  of  this  fact  V 

"  '  Because,  my  dear  mother,  I  seldom  think  of  the 
glories  of  eternity.' 

"  '  Those  of  this  life  suffice  to  him,' — said  Josephine. 

" '  Do  tell  us  all  you  know  of  this  venerable  person- 
age ;'  urged  the  Princess  Joseph. 

"  '  Sister ;'  said  l^apoleon ;  '  you  should  have  been 
the  last  to  advance  such  a  request,  for  you  will  be  quite 
certain  one  day  to  make  his  acquaintance  in  heaven.' 

"  This  compliment  was  at  once  well-timed,  and  well- 
merited,  for  the  virtues  of  the  future  Queen  of  Spain 
were  registered  in  the  book  of  life. 

"  '  I  repeat  the  request  of  my  daughter-in-law,  Na- 
poleone ;'  said  Madaone-Mere^  whose  wishes  were 
generally  laws  to  the  Emperor. 


THE   EVE  OF  THE  CORONATION.  189 

"*  Listen  then;'  replied  Napoleon,  who  was  never 
better  pleased  than  when  he  was  engrossing  the  whole 
attention  of  his  audience;  *I  was  in  Tuscany,  after 
having  driven  the  English  out  of  Leghorn  in  1797, 
wlien  at  least  thirty  diflferent  individuals  recalled  to  my 
memory  the  existence  of  a  member  of  my  family  who 
was  an  inhabitant  of  San-Miniato.  This  individual  was 
tlie  canon  Gregory  Bonaparte,  a  monk,  and  a  Knight 
of  the  Order  of  St.  Stephen.  I  was,  of  course,  delighted 
to  pay  my  respects  to  him ;  and  I  sent  Berthier  to  ap- 
prise him  of  my  intended  visit.  He  received  me  and 
all  my  staff  most  admirably;  and,  at  the  conclusion  of 
a  splendid  and  perfectly  canonical  dinner,  he  took  me 
aside  and  said : — 

"'Nephew — you  must  permit  me  to  address  you 
thus — you  are  now  on  a  path  of  life  which  must  enable 
you  to  do  honor  to  your  race;  and  it  is  proper  you 
should  be  informed  that  our  family  is  of  very  ancient 
descent,  certainly  from  the  lords  of  Treviso,  and  proba- 
bly from  the  Lombard  Kings.  I  have  in  my  possession 
patents  of  nobility  which  I  shall  bequeathe  to  you  after 
I  am  gone ;  and  which  you  cannot  be  otherwise  than 
proud  to  verify,  although  you  are  in  the  service  of 
a  Republic ;  but  the  toys  of  vanity  are  insignificant 
beside  the  solid  honor  which,  situated  as  you  are,  you 
may  easily  induce  the  Pope  to  concede  to  one  of  our 
ancestors.  Ask  of  hira  therefore  to  canonize  gratui- 
tously Father  Bonaventura  Bonaparte.  Nearly  two 
hundred  years  have  elapsed  since  his  brotherhood 
caused  him  to  be  beatified ;  his  bones  repose  in  this 
city,  in  the  church  of  Santa-Maria-della-Yita,  in  the 
centre  of  the  chapel  of  Saint  Jerome,  and  in  a  magni- 


190  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORr. 

ficent  tomb  of  porphyry.  There,  nephew,  your  duty 
lies  straight  before  you.  Cause  your  relative  to  be 
canonized,  and  all  the  greatness  of  this  earth  will  be 
eclipsed  by  the  splendor  which  we  shall  derive  from 
such  an  association.' 

"  '  The  good  canon  then  paused  for  breath,  and  I 
scarcely  knew  how  to  reply.  I  contrived,  however,  to 
evade  the  question,  and  we  parted  excellent  friends; 
while  on  my  arrival  at  Florence,  I  caused  the  Grand- 
Duke  of  Tuscany  to  send  him  the  grand-cordon  of  the 
Order  of  Saint  Stephen  to  which  he  already  belonged.' 

"  '  And  is  all  that  you  have  been  telling  us  really  a 
fact  ? '  asked  the  Princess  Joseph. 

"'As  true  as  the  gospel;'  replied  Cardinal  Fesch ; 
*  and  since  you  are  curious  upon  the  subject,  I  will 
confess  to  you  that  Pius  YII.  has  often  spoken  to  me 
of  this  holy  monk.' 

"  '  And  what  did  he  say  of  him,  brother  ? '  inquired 
Madame-Mere. 

"  '  That  he  did  not  doubt  the  holiness  of  Father  Bona- 
ventura,  as  he  had  taken  great  pains  to  procure  the 
most  accurate  information  on  the  point ;  and  that  he 
was  quite  prepared  to  canonize  him  whenever  the 
Emperor  should  express  a  wish  to  that  effect.  The 
Holy  Father  even  added,  in  one  of  our  last  interviews, 
when  speaking  of  the  blessed  Bonaparte ;  Tliere  can 
be  no  doubt  that  it  is  he,  who,  from  his  heavenly  dwell- 
ing-place, has  led  as  it  were  by  the  hand,  his  young 
relative  Kapoleon  in  the  glorious  career  which  he  has 
pursued ;  and  has,  by  his  own  holiness,  preserved  him 
from  danger  even  to  this  day.  The  Emperor  owes  to 
him  both  his  gratitude  and  his  prayers.' 


THE  EVE  or  THE  CORONATION.  191 

"  *  And  what  would  be  the  cost  of  a  canonization  ? ' 
inquired  the  Princess  Borgliese. 

"  *  At  least  three  hundred  thousand  francs ; '  said  the 
cardinal. 

"'That  is  very  dear;'  ohBerved  Madame-Mere  vf'iih 
a  sigh. 

"  '  Three  hundred  thousand  francs  I '  echoed  the  Em- 
peror ;  *  I  would  rather  employ  tliem  in  augmenting  the 
revenues  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.' 

"Tliis  declaration  terminated  the  discussion  on 
the  Father  Bonaventura  Bonaparte ;  and  once  more 
the  party  began  to  discuss  the  ceremony  of  the  follow- 
ing day. 

"*  It  will  be  a  strange  thing;'  remarked  Cardinal 
Fescli ;  Mo  see  an  Emperor  without  either  an  esta- 
blished aristocracy,  or  even  newly-titled  individuals 
about  him.' 

"  *  Uncle  ; '  said  N'apoleon  impatiently  ;  '  Paris  was 
not  built  in  a  day ;  and  up  to  the  present  moment  I 
have  found  it  more  easy  to  re-construct  a  throne  than 
to  re-establish  an  aristocracy.  Nevertheless,  I  shall 
succeed  even  in  that,  because  it  is  necessary  to  me ; 
for,  I  do  not  deceive  myself,  and  am  quite  aware  that 
nobility  is  an  essential  ingredient  in  a  state ;  it  is  a 
graceful  medium  of  recompense ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  it  ornaments  and  npbolds  the  throne.' 

"  '  But  how  do  you  purpose  to  re-establish  this  nobi- 
lity ?'  inquired  Joseph ;  *  Do  you  intend  to  create  a  new 
equesti-ian  order,  or  to  resuscitate  a  dead  body  ? ' 

"'AH  must  emanate  from  myself :' was  the  proud 
reply  ;  '  nothing  throughout  my  empire  shall  date  be- 
fore the  advent  of  its  supreme  chief.     I  will  be  the 


192  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

founder  of  a  new  aristocracy,  and  not  the  restorer  of  a 
mouldy  institution.' 

"  Make  haste,  then  ;'  said  Pauline,  arrogantly  ;  '  for 
I  long  to  see  my  ante-chambers  crowded  with  titled 
lacqueys.' 

"  '  By  making  use  of  such  contemptuous  epithets, 
Madame  ;'  said  Kapoleon  ;  ^  you  would  wound  the  self- 
love  of  men  who  would  never  pardon  you.' 

*' '  l^onsense !'  sneered  the  princess  ;  '  a  parcel  of 
pigmies ! ' 

"  *  Sister,'  was  the  rejoinder  of  the  Emperor  ;  ^natu- 
ralists tell  us  that  in  France  a  single  viper  cannot  emit 
sufficient  poison  to  destroy  life,  but  that  a  man  is  lost 
should  four  of  the  reptiles  bite  him  at  the  same  time. 
Remember  this,  and  be  warned.' 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE   POPE   AND   THE   EMPEROB. 


Great  was  the  exultation  in  Rome  when  the  Cheva- 
lier Artaud  made,  in  the  name  of  Napoleon,  the  first 
proposal  to  the  Pope  that  he  should  visit  France, 
in  order  that  the  Emperor  might  be  crowned  by  his 
holy  and  august  hand.  The  Pontifical  Court  were  in 
ecstacies,  and  the  wisest  heads  of  the  sacred  college  were 
giddy  with  delight ;  for  one  and  all  believed  that  since 
the  recently-elected  sovereign  attached  so  high  a  price 
to  his  consecration  by  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  his 


THE  POPE  AND  THE   EMPEROR.  193 

gratitude  would  be  boundless  should  his  request  be 
granted ;  and  tlie  Church  resume  all  her  ancient 
splendor  and  supremacy. 

Kevertheless,  however,  pope,  cardinals,  and  bishops 
were  careful  not  to  betray  their  satisfaction ;  and  in 
order  to  enhance  the  value  of  the  papal  acquies- 
cence, they  held  several  secret  consistories,  in  which 
they  drew  up  a  long  and  formidable  list  of  the  obsta- 
cles which  opposed  themselves  to  the  wish  of  the 
Emperor;  but,  at  the  same  time,  they  were  politic 
enough  to  prepare  a  second,  in  which  they  set  forth 
the  redeeming  clauses  by  which  these  impediments 
might  be  overcome.  In  the  first  category  figured  the 
restitution  of  the  three  legations,  and  that  of  the  Comtat 
Yenaissin  ;  or,  should  these  be  refused,  certain  indem- 
nities in  Italy,  such  as  the  Principality  of  Lucca,  the 
Duchy  of  Carrara,  or  the  Littoral  of  Spezzia ;  the  re- 
establishment  of  a  portion  of  the  tithes  in  France ;  the 
restoration  of  monasteries  ;  the  return  of  all  the  pic- 
tures, statues,  and  other  subjects  of  art,  ceded  to  the 
French  Republic  by  the  treaty  of  Tolentino ;  and  more- 
over, a  complete  compensation  for  the  reduction  of  the 
Pope's  revenues  since  the  dismemberment  of  Po- 
land ;  together  with  a  host  of  other  conditions,  equally, 
and  in  some  cases,  still  more  extravagant  and  im- 
possible. 

The  Papal  nuncio,  to  whom  was  entrusted  the  duty 
of  presenting  the  two  lists  to  the  Minister  for  Foreign 
Affairs  (M.  de  Talleyrand)  was  at  some  loss  as  to  how 
he  should  fulfil  his  mission  ;  for  he  had  breathed  the 
air  of  Paris  long  enough,  and  studied  the  cliaracter  of 
the  First  Consul  carefullv  enough,  to  dread  the  moment 

9 

J 


194  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

when  these  exorbitant  conditions  should  be  laid  before 
him,  as  they  necessarily  must  be. 

It  is  said  that  Talleyrand,  notwithstanding  his  extra- 
ordinary perspicacity,  was  for  a  moment  doubtful  how 
]S^apoleon  would  act  in  so  extreme  an  emergency. 
Aware  of  the  importance  which  he  attached  to  the 
idea  of  being  crowned  by  a  Pope,  he  feared  that  the 
Emperor  might  accede  too  easily  to  some  of  the  pre- 
posterous demands  of  the  Roman  court ;  but  his  alarm 
was  soon  dissipated.  Kapoleon  read  the  documents 
presented  to  him  with  as  little  emotion  as  though  their 
contents  were  utterly  unimportant ;  and  then,  taking 
up  a  pen,  he  dashed  out  all  the  conditions  which  he 
was  called  upon  to  ratify,  and  wrote  at  the  foot  of  the 
page  :— 

"  I  asked  a  favor  ;  but  if  I  am  driven  to  do  so,  I  shall 
compel  the  performance  of  a  duty.  The  successor  of 
Charlemagne,  I  have  inherited  his  power ;  let  it  not  be 
forgotten  at  Rome  that  Popes,  put  upon  their  trial, 
have  had  to  plead  their  cause  before  the  tribunal  of  the 
Emperor." 

These  few  words  changed  the  whole  face  of  affairs. 
The  Erench  Legation  at  Rome  received  an  order  to 
inform  the  most  influential  of  the  Cardinals  that  in  case 
of  a  refusal  on  the  part  of  Pius  YII.  to  fulfil  the  will  of 
the  Emperor,  they  would  be  held  responsible ;  an 
assurance  which  they  had  no  sooner  received,  than, 
with  few  exceptions,  the  whole  of  the  papal  council 
entreated  him  to  submit  to  what  had  doubtless  been 
ordained  for  the  benefit,  and  in  the  interests,  of  their 
holy  religion.  The  remark  of  one  of  the  conclave,  as 
he  rose  to  retire,  has  been  preserved.     "  The  Emperor ;" 


THE   POPE   AND  THE   EMPEROR.  195 

he  said,  shrugging  his  shoulders ;  "  has  filched  his  coro- 
nation from  us." 

While  enumerating  the  demands  of  the  Court  of 
Rome,  I  omitted  to  mention  one  which  was  no  better 
received  than  the  others.  They  demanded  tlie  abolition 
of  Bossuet's  four  famous  articles  on  which  are  based 
the  liberty  of  the  Gallican  Church  ;  alleging  the  exam- 
ple of  Louis  XIV.,  who  had  abandoned  them ;  and 
oflfering,  at  the  same  time,  to  produce  the  Decree  by 
which  he  had  done  so,  with  his  autograph  signature. 

No  doubt  the  Pope  did  this  in  all  sincerity  and 
honor;  as,  had  he  been  aware,  as  it  was  confidently 
averred,  that  the  said  signature  was  a  forgery,  he  could 
never  have  sought  to  avail  himself  of  such  a  document. 

Disappointed  in  all  his  hopes,  and  deeply  mortified 
to  find  that  he  must  bow  his  will  before  that  of  the  man 
whom  he  considered  alike  as  his  own  enemy,  and  that 
of  Rome,  Pius  YII.  was  by  no  means  in  a  desirable 
frame  of  mind  when  he  reached  Paris ;  nor  could  all 
the  magnificence  with  which  he  was  received,  nor  the 
homage  by  which  he  was  surrounded,  reconcile  him  to 
his  compulsory  visit  to  the  French  metropolis. 

Three  days  previous  to  the  Coronation,  the  Pope, 
having  ascertained  that  Napoleon  had  been  only  mar- 
ried to  Josephine  by  the  civil  authorities,  and  that  no 
religious  sanction  had  subsequently  ratified  their  union, 
formally  required  that  they  should  be  united  before  the 
altar,  alleging  that  he  could  not  otherwise  conscien- 
tiously officiate  at  the  forthcoming  ceremony.  His 
wish  was  complied  with ;  and  the  august  couple 
received  the  nuptial  benediction  from  Cardinal  Fesch, 
at  midnight,  in  the  chapel  of  the  Tuileries,  and  in  the 


196  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

presence  of  a  limited  number  of  witnesses,  among 
whom  were  Prince  Eugene  and  Marshal  Dm'oc. 

When  tlie  marriage  of  Marie  Louise  to  the  Emperor 
was  first  proposed,  she  caused  an  inquiry  to  be  made 
of  Josephine,  whether  she  had,  or  had  not,  been  mar- 
ried at  the  altar  ;  declaring  that,  in  the  former  case,  she 
would  never  consent  to  an  union  which  she  should 
regard  as  a  sacrilege.  To  this  question  Josephine 
replied  by  referring  her  to  the  Moniteur;  thus  evading 
the  truth  without  betraying  it ;  as  she  was  well  aware 
that  I^apoleon  would  never  allow  the  ofiicial  journal  to 
publish  the  fact  of  so  tardy  a  ceremony ;  and  to  this 
circumstance  must  be  attributed  the  assertion  made  by 
the  Duke  de  Rovigo  in  his  memoirs,  that  the  first  mar- 
riage of  the  Emperor  had  never  received  the  sanction 
of  the  Church. 

The  Coronation  was  no  sooner  over  than  Pius  YIl. 
expressed  his  desire  to  return  to  Rome,  and  even  wished 
to  fix  the  precise  day  for  his  departure ;  but  in  so  pertina- 
ciously urging  the  presence  and  pious  offices  of  the  Holy 
Father  at  the  recent  ceremony,  Napoleon  had  other 
and  more  extended  views  than  those  about  him  had 
imagined  ;  and  he  no  sooner  ascertained  the  anxiety  of 
the  Pope  to  regain  the  Yatican,  than  he  summoned 
Cardinal  Fesch  to  his  presence. 

"  What  on  earth  can  His  Holiness  mean  by  such  inde- 
cent haste  to  leave  a  country  in  which  he  has  been  so 
nobly  treated?"  he  asked  angrily.  "There  must  be 
some  cause  for  conduct  at  once  so  extraordinary  and  so 
ofi*ensive." 

"  Sire  ; "  said  the  churchman  calmly  ;  "  a  char- 
coal burner    is    master    in    his    own    hut;    and  the 


THE  POPE  AND  THE  EMPEROB.  197 

Popo  is  attached  to  Rome  because  it  belongs  to 
him." 

''That  is  a  poor  reason  to  advance;"  replied  the 
Emperor.  "  It'  he  will  only  stay  where  he  is,  he  need 
be  at  no  loss  for  a  domain.  Surely  he  would  be  well 
lodged  at  Chambord,  or  at  Tours  w^here  the  churches 
are  superb,  or  at  Bourges  where  I  would  build  him  a 
palace,  and  where  wo  should  be  neighbors ;  I  could 
visit  him  continually  from  Fontainebleau.  He  should 
have  a  numerous,  and  complete  college  of  cardinals,  a 
guard  of  honor,  and  all  the  veneration  and  respect  that 
lie  can  desire." 

"  Your  Majesty  does  not  then,  if  I  rightly  understand 
you,  wish  him  ever  to  return  to  Rome  ! "  replied  Fesch. 

"  I  do  not  say  that ; "  was  the  quick  rejoinder ;  "  he  is, 
of  course,  at  liberty  to  act  as  he  sees  fit — but  why  does 
he  not  visit  the  south  ?  I  understand  ihat  they  are  very 
pious  at  Toulouse,  and  that  the  nobility  of  that  city  are 
fervent  Catholics  from  their  heads  to  their  feet ;  while, 
moreover,  he  would  find  there  celebrated  basilicks,  with 
a  cave  in  which  are  preserved  the  bodies  of  six  or  seven 
apostles,  a  holy  thorn,  and  the  remains  of  forty  martyrs ; 
beside  which  ancient  monument  we  could  construct  a 
second  Yatican." 

"In  that  case  His  Holiness  must  necessarily  alto- 
gether renounce  Rome ; "  persisted  the  Cardinal. 

"  I  do  not  say  that ; "  repeated  Kapoleon  ;  "  but, 
frankly,  if  he  has  an  affection  for  me,  and  for  France, 
should  he  not  be  delighted  to  recover  Avignon,  a  city 
full  of  pontifical  reminiscences,  whose  inhabitants  still 
believe  themselves  to  be  the  subjects  of  the  Pope? 
Well,  His  Holiness  might  reign  over  that  ancient  city. 


198  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

keep  an  eye  upon  Italy,  and  stretch  a  hand  over 
Germany.  The  position  is  unique;  and  no  better 
residence  could  be  chosen  for  the  common  Father  of  the 
Faithful." 

"  But,  Sire,  by  taking  up  his  abode  at  Avignon,  the 
Pope  would  abandon  Rome;"  once  more  phlegmati- 
cally  remarked  Fesch. 

"  I  do  not  say  that ; "  reiterated  the  Emperor ;  "  are 
you  endeavoring  to  test  the  extent  of  my  patience  ?  I 
am  desirous  to  give  pleasure  to  your  friend,  to  an  old 
man  whom  I  love  and  am  anxious  to  render  happy. 
What  can  he  do  in  Rome?  He  will  be  constantly 
exposed  to  my  suspicions ;  he  will  be  compelled  to 
temporise  with  the  English,  and  will  consequently  in- 
cur my  displeasure.  At  Avignon,  on  the  contrary,  we 
should  always  maintain  a  good  understanding ;  I  would 
overwhelm  him  with  gifts ;  and  the  Holy  See  would  be 
more  wealthy  than  it  has  ever  been." 

"  1  will  speak  to  him  on  the  subject ; "  said  the  car- 
dinal ;  "  but  I  fear  that  he  will  not  abandon  Rome,  as 
you  appear  to  wish." 

"I  never  said  that  I  wished  it;"  exclaimed  Kapo- 
leon  sharply. 

"  But  in  point  of  fact" — 

"  Fact  is  in  many  cases  nothing ; "  said  the  Emperor ; 
"  and  form  everything.  Look  at  one  of  our  Parisians ; 
only  give  him  a  ticket  for  the  theatre  inscribed  '  Dress- 
Circle,'  and  he  will  mount  to  the  third  tier  without  a 
murmur,  provided  that  at  the  door  of  the  hen-coop 
which  is  appropriated  to  his  use,  he  still  sees  the  magic 
words  'Dress-Circle'  inscribed  upon  his  ticket." 

The  cardinal  could  not  restrain  a  laugh  at  the  puerile 


THE   POPE  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  199 

comparison  of  his  Imperial  interlocutor ;  but  he  never- 
theless pledged  himself  to  make  his  proposition  known 
to  the  Pope ;  and  he  kept  his  word,  although  he  did  so 
very  guardedly. 

Pius  VII.,  on  his  side,  affected  not  to  understand  his 
meaning,  and  persisted  in  his  resolution  to  re-cross  the 
Alps ;  and  Napoleon  was  compelled  to  submit  in  his 
turn,  for  it  was  impossible  to  detain  the  Pope  in  France 
against  his  will,  as  Fouche  counselled  him  to  do,  without 
risking  a  frightful  scandal,  and  being  guilty  of  a  glaring 
act  of  ingratitude. 

During  his  last  interview  with  Xapoleon,  His  Holi- 
ness complained  to  him  that  he  had  too  long  delayed 
to  fulfil  the  promises  which  he  had  made  through  the 
intervention  of  his  relative  and  ambassador.  Cardinal 
Fesch,  which  he  repeated  in  detail ;  but  as  each  pledge 
was  mentioned,  the  Emperor  affected  more  and  more 
surprise,  and  declared  that  all  these  circumstances  were 
entirely  unknown  to  him. 

"  How,  Sire !"  exclaimed  the  Holy  Father  indig- 
nantly ;  "  am  I  to  understand  that  the  three  Legate- 
ships  will  not  be  restored  to  Kome  ?" 

"  I  have  given  no  assurance  to  that  effect,"  said  Na- 
poleon. 

"  And  that  St.  Peter  will  not,  in  my  person,  once 
more  possess  Avignon  ?"  again  asked  Pius. 

"The  constitution  of  the  Empire  presents  an  invinci- 
ble obstacle  to  your  so  doing,"  replied  the  Emperor ; 
"I  have  succeeded  the  Republic  one  and  indivisi- 
ble." 

"And  that  the  French  clergy  will  not  recover  such 
ol  their  estates  as  were  not  sold  ?"  pursued  the  Pope  ; 


200  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  and  that  you  will  not  take  measures  to  render  tliem 
independent  of  the  budget  ?" 

"  I  can  certify  to  Your  Holiness ;"  was  the  quiet  re- 
joinder ;  "  that  my  priests  are  perfectly  satisfied  to  receive 
their  salary  when  it  becomes  due,  and  have  no  cause  to 
feel  any  anxiety  whether  it  hails  or  rains." 

"  I  was  promised  that  the  monasteries  should  be  re- 
opened ;"  said  Pius. 

"And  so  they  shall;  "was  the  reply;  "I  highly 
approve  of  those  pious  retreats.  Endow  them,  and  I 
will  authorise  their  re-establishment." 

"  Good,  my  son  ;  good  ;"  said  the  poor  Pope,  believ- 
ing that  Napoleon  was  beginning  to  yield ;  "  but  as 
regards  the  other  points  ?" 

"  I  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  them ;"  tartly 
replied  the  Emperor ;  "  I  gave  no  such  orders ;  it  is 
Cardinal  Fesch  who,  in  the  excess  of  his  zeal — " 

"  I  should  be  glad  ;"  observed  Pius  ;  "  to  hear  what 
he  has  to  say  upon  the  subject ;  he  is  only  in  the  next 
room  ;  permit  me  to  have  him  summoned." 

"  Despite  my  earnest  desire  to  oblige  Your  Holiness ;" 
was  the  rejoinder  of  Napoleon  ;  "I  cannot  consent  to 
anything  which  can  tend  to  humiliate  my  uncle.  I 
shall  have  to  reproach  him ;  and  I  cannot  forget  that 
he  is  the  brother  of  my  mother.  When  we  discuss  this 
subject  we  must  do  it  privately.  Moreover,  what  I  de- 
cline to  concede  to-day,  circumstances  may  allow  me 
to  accomplish  some  time  hence ;  the  interests  of  the 
Church  are  as  dear  to  me  as  my  own  ;  and  I  shall  end 
by  finding  some  means  of  efiecting  a  satisfactory  under- 
standing between  us.  But  let  us  no  longer  dwell  upon 
the  past ;  you  have  considerable  trouble  in  maintaining 


THE  POPE  AND  THE  EMPEROR.  201 

your  authority  over  the  Legateships ;  the  petulance  of 
those  people  required  to  be  suppressed  by  myself.  The 
Comtat  weighed  heavily  upon  you,  and  I  have  rendered 
you  an  essential  service  by  liberating  you  from  such  a 
thorn  in  the  flesh." 

The  Emperor  said  much  more  in  tlie  same  calm  and 
determined  manner,  and  the  Pope  obtained  no  conces- 
sion from  him  in  any  shape ;  but  trusting  that  he  should 
succeed  better  with  Talleyrand,  Ilis  Holiness  sent  to 
request  that  the  minister  would  wait  on  him  in  the  pa- 
vilion of  Flora,  in  which  he  had  resided  during  his 
sojourn  in  Paris.  Tlie  wily  diplomatist  at  once  obeyed 
the  summons ;  listened  to  his  complaints,  which  he 
could  not  at  first  comprehend,  and  then  eluded  them  ; 
next  endeavored  to  evade  a  frank  explanation ;  and 
finally,  driven  into  a  comer  by  the  pertinacity  of  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff,  he  said  with  the  utmost  compo- 
sure : — 

"  Your  Holiness  will  do  well  not  to  torment  yourself 
about  tlie  past ;  what  is  done,  is  done.  The  Emperor 
has  so  much  strength  of  character  that  you,  by  your 
power  as  God's  Yicar,  would  more  easily  release  from 
purgatory  the  souls  that  are  now  sufiering  there,  than 
rend  from  him  the  smallest  portion  of  the  three  Legate- 
ships, or  of  the  Comtat  Yenaissin." 

"  In  that  case,  my  son,"  said  Pius  YH.,  "  I  shall 
throw  this  fraud  upon  his  conscience." 

"  Most  Holy  Father ;"  smiled  the  Prince  of  Bene- 
vento ;  "  we  will  endeavor  to  repaii*  the  evil  by  loyally 
winning  your  indulgences." 

"  But ;"  said  the  Pope  sturdily,  "  he  has  appropriated 
the  wealth  of  God," 

9* 


202  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  All  the  earth  is  the  Lord's ;"  was  the  sententious 
rejoinder. 

"  He  has  deceived  me  !"  exclaimed  the  Pontiff,  whose 
patience  was  almost  exhausted. 

"  And  me  also  ;"  said  Talleyrand  ;  "  and  Cardinal 
Fesch  into  the  bargain ;  but  how  can  one  venture  to 
utter  a  reproach  to  a  man  who  is  at  the  head  of  a  mil- 
lion of  soldiers,  and  who  has  ten  millions  of  revenue  ?" 

Two  days  after  this  conversation  Pius  YII.  left 
Paris. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


CAPTAIN    DUKOSIER. 


'  •  At  the  period  of  Napoleon's  coronation,  the  French 
people  were  absorbed  by  one  great  idea — that  of  glory. 
The  success  of  their  arms  in  Italy  and  Germany  had 
intoxicated  the  whole  nation ;  and  not  only  were  the 
young  men  thirsting  for  military  distinction,  but  even 
the  children,  abandoning  all  their  former  pastimes, 
found  their  sole  amusement  in  a  mimic  warfare,  where- 
in they  parodied  the  veterans  whose  scars  and  crosses 
were  the  objects  of  their  envy. 

It  was  precisely  while  this  passion  was  at  fever-heat 
that  a  certain  M.  Durosier,  who  had  amassed  a  con- 
siderable fortune  by  army  contracts,  took  up  his  abode 
in  Paris  with  his  family,  which  consisted  of  his  wife,  an 
only  son  about  six  years  of  age,  and  a  brother-in-law, 


CAPTAIN   DUROSIER.  208 

who  had  been  as  successful  as  himself  by  his  specula- 
tions on  the  Stock  Exchange. 

Tlie  Durosiers  hired  a  very  fine  house  in  one  of  the 
most  fashionable  streets,  which  they  furnished  in  a 
lavish  style  of  magnificence  ;  and  as  the  lady  was  still 
young,  much  admired,  and  remarkably  fond  of  society, 
it  was  not  long  before  they  found  themselves  surrounded 
by  a  large  and  brilliant  circle  of  friends ;  some  attracted 
by  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  hostess,  and  others  by 
the  wealth  and  good  cheer  of  the  host. 

The  children  of  the  several  families  necessarily  be- 
came acquainted  in  their  turn  ;  and  the  boys,  many  of 
whom  were  the  sons  of  officers  of  high  rank,  resolved 
to  form  themselves  into  a  regiment,  of  which  Timoleon 
Durosier  was  ere  long  promoted  to  be  the  chief,  under 
the  title  of  le  petit  caporal,  a  name  which  had  already 
become  historical.  This  formidable  corps  was  com- 
posed of  children  from  six  to  eight  years  old,  who  went 
through  their  gun  and  sword  exercise  with  a  gravity 
and  precision  that  delighted  their  parents.  Among 
these  young  warriors  Timoleon  was  the  smallest ;  but  his 
slight  figure  was  so  muscular,  and  the  expression  of  his 
eye  so  keen  and  imperious  even  at  that  early  age,  that 
Nature  appeared  to  have  destined  him  one  day  to  com- 
mand his  fellow-men. 

The  little  corporal  proved  himself  worthy  of  the 
honorable  post  that  had  been  conferred  upon  him ;  and 
was  as  regular  a  martinet  as  any  old  adjutant  in  the 
whole  army.  His  regiment  numbered  fifty  rank  and  file ; 
and  the  exercises  took  place  daily,  at  the  house  of  one 
or  other  of  their  parents ;  where  the  fathers,  amused 
and  gratified  by  the  progress  of  their  warlike  exertions, 


204  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH   HISTORY. 

encouraged  them  by  their  applause,  as  well  as  by  occa- 
sional contributions  to  their  military  costume  and  ac- 
coutrements ;  while  the  mothers,  each  already  dream- 
ing that  her  own  particular  darling  might  perchance 
live  to  wield  a  marshal's  baton,  made  no  attempt  to 
interfere,  or  to  express  the  slightest  apprehension  as  to 
the  results  of  an  occupation  so  unsuited  to  their  tender 
age. 

In  the  year  1806,  the  regiment  of  the  Faubourg 
Saint-Germain,  as  it  was  officially  designated  by  its 
members,  was  in  a  perfect  state  of  discipline  and  effi- 
ciency, and  went  through  all  its  evolutions  with  a 
steadiness  and  precision  which  elicited  the  utmost 
applause  from  those  who  were  permitted  to  witness 
them;  and  it  finally  chanced  that  the  boy-battalion 
became  a  subject  of  conversation  at  the  Tuileries,  when 
the  Emperor  expressed  a  wish  to  see  the  young  volun- 
teers manoeuvre ;  a  wish  which  was  of  course  imme- 
diately complied  with. 

Two  days  subsequently,  the  palace-chamberlain, 
Duroc,  entered  the  apartment  of  iJ^apoleon  early  in  the 
morning,  and  said  gravely  : — 

"  Sire,  can  Your  Majesty  have  forgotten  that  a  review 
is  to  take  place  to-day  ?" 

^•What  review?"  inquired  the  Emperor;  "I  know 
of  none." 

"  The  review  of  the  boy-battalion,  which  Your  Ma- 
jesty condescended  to  command." 

"  Ah !  true  ;"  said  the  modern  Caesar  with  a  smile  ; 
"  and  where  are  these  seedling  Marshals  of  France 
drawn  up  ?" 

'<  In  the  gardens  of  the  palace,  Sire." 


CAPTAIN  DUROSIER.  206 

"  Good ;"  was  the  reply ;  "  I  will  not  keep  them 
waiting.     Follow  me." 

The  Emperor  wore  tlie  traditional  co8tumo ;  the  grey 
frock-coat  and  cocked  hat :  and  as  soon  as  he  appeared 
at  the  end  of  the  avenue  the  drums  beat  to  arms ;  and 
Napoleon,  a  minute  or  two  afterwards,  found  himself  in 
front  of  fifty  boys,  arranged  in  double  ranks,  armed  with 
firelocks,  and  as  upright  and  motionless  as  so  many 
grenadiers.  He  passed  slowly  along  the  line,  looking 
each  lad  steadily  in  the  face;  and  then,  turning  to 
Duroc,  said  in  a  low  voice  :  "  So  far,  all  is  admirable. 
These  boys  are  every  one  soldiers  at  heart." 

But  what  was  the  exultation  of  the  little  band,  when 
the  hero  of  Campo-Formio  himself  gave  the  word  of 
command,  and  watched  every  evolution  with  the  most 
jealous  scrutiny  without  once  assuming  his  formidable 
frown. 

"  Colonel ;"  said  Napoleon,  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
manoeuvres  ;  "  your  regiment  thoroughly  performs  its 
parade  duties,  and  I  could  not  desire  better  drilled 
troops.  Go  on  as  you  have  begun,  and  I  shall  not  for- 
get you.     What  is  your  name  ?" 

"  Timoleon  Durosier,  Emperor." 

"  Yery  well ;"  replied  Napoleon,  as,  with  a  smile,  he 
lightly  tapped  him  upon  the  cheek  ;  "  you  must  remind 
me  some  years  hence  that  you  once  commanded  a 
regiment." 

So  saying  he  walked  away,  pursued  as  he  retired  by 
shrill  and  enthusiastic  shouts  of  "  Long  live  the  Em- 
peror !" 

When  he  had  disappeared,  Timoleon,  with  erect  mien 
and  flashing  eyes,   dismissed  his  men,  and  hastened 


206  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

home  to  report  all  that  had  passed  ;  but  his  father  was 
already  apprised  of  the  honor  which  had  been  conferred 
upon  his  son,  and  was  awaiting  him  with  his  congratu- 
lations in  the  hall. 

"  My  beloved  boy !"  he  exclaimed,  clasping  him  in 
his  arms  ;  ''  this  is  a  proud  day  for  me.  Only  to  think 
that  the  Emperor  should  have  tapped  you  on  the  cheek 
in  token  of  his  satisfaction.  I  can  scarcely  credit  it 
even  now." 

"But  where  is  my  mother?"  asked  the  juvenile 
warrior  ;  "  Has  she  no  kiss  for  me  ?  Is  she  not  as  well 
pleased  as  you  are  ?" 

The  poor  mother  was  meanwhile  weeping  in  her 
chamber,  impatiently  awaiting  the  return  of  her  ido- 
lised boy ;  but  in  her  joy  there  was  a  painful  mixture 
of  bitterness. 

"  My  darling  Timoleon,  my  loved  and  only  child ;" 
she  murmured  amid  her  tears  ;  "  this  day  will,  I  feel, 
decide  the  destiny  of  your  life — ^you  will  be  a  soldier, — 
and  why  I  know  not,  but  a  voice  within  me  assures  me 
that  you  will  not  survive  your  first  battle-field.  Oh  ! 
why,  why,  has  this  fatal  prescience  been  granted  to 
me?" 

At  this  instant  the  lad  bounded  into  the  room,  fol- 
lowed by  his  father. 

"  Mother !  mother !"  he  exclaimed,  springing  to  her 
neck ;  "  I  am  the  happiest  boy  in  France.  The  Em- 
peror gave  me  a  little  slap  in  the  face,  and  told  me 
that  he  would  not  forget  me." 

Madame  Durosier  warmly  returned  his  embrace,  but 
her  tears  fell  copiously  on  his  bright  curls  of  fair  hair, 
as  she  sobbed  out : — 


CAPTAIN  DUROSIER.  207 

"  Your  joy  makes  me  glad,  my  dear  son — and  yet  I 
dare  not  look  into  the  future." 

"  What  can  you  fear,  Madame  ?"  demanded  her 
husband  ;  "  our  boy  will  make  a  brave  man,  and  will 
one  day  be  the  boast  and  honor  of  the  family." 

"If  they  do  not  kill  him — "  gasped  the  agitated 
mother. 

"  Never  fear ;"  said  the  boy  proudly ;  "  a  brave  man 
has  more  reason  to  hope  for  a  long  life  than  a  coward ; 
for  a  good  soldier  has  only  the  enemies  of  his  country 
to  contend  against,  while  a  craven  finds  plenty  more, 
even  among  his  own  countrymen.  Besides,  did  not  the 
Emperor  promise  that  he  would  not  forget  me  ?  Cheer 
up,  mother,  and —  Vive  VEmpereur .'" 

From  that  eventful  day  young  Durosier  became  the 
pet  and  proverb  of  the  noble  Faubourg,  and  the  sons 
of  many  of  the  first  families  of  Paris  solicited  admis- 
sion to  his  ranks;  but  notwithstanding  his  military 
tastes,  and  the  duties  which  increased  upon  him  as  his 
corps  augmented  in  numbers,  he  gladdened  the  heart 
of  his  mother  by  the  perseverance  with  which  he 
pursued  his  more  peaceful  studies. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1812  our  hero  was  one  of 
the  fii-st  students  admitted  to  the  Ecole  Polytechnique  ; 
whence,  at  the  period  of  the  Invasion,  he  was  gazetted 
to  an  ensigncy  in  one  of  the  regiments  of  the  Staff  at 
Head  Quarter ;  and,  having  taken  leave  of  his  family, 
he  hastened  to  his  post,  full  of  enthusiasm  and  hope. 

At  the  battle  of  Montmirail  he  chanced  to  be  in 
attendance  on  the  Emperor  at  the  moment  when  it 
became  essential  to  dispatch  an  order  to  one  of  the 
Generals  of  Division  ;  and  Napoleon,  hastily  summon- 


208  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

ing  him  to  his  side,  gave  him  instructions  to  deliver  it 
without  delay. 

"  Spare  neither  yourself  nor  your  horse,  Sir ;"  he 
said  sternly  ;  "  for  there  is  not  a  moment  to  lose,  and 
return  at  once  to  report  to  me  that  my  order  has  been 
obeyed." 

Durosier  galloped  off  amid  a  shower  of  shot  and 
shells,  and  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he  was  again 
beside  the  Emperor.     His  duty  was  performed. 

"  You  have  behaved  well.  Monsieur ;"  said  IsTapoleon, 
"  when  he  had  received  his  report ;  "you  have  a  stout 
heart  and  a  clear  head,  though  you  are  still  only  a 
youngster.  I  give  you  your  captain's  brevet,  and 
attach  you  to  my  person.     What  is  your  name  ?" 

*•  Durosier,  Sire." 

"  It  seems  familiar  to  me.  On  what  occasion  have  I 
before  heard  it  ?" 

"  I  was  the  colonel  of  the  boy-battalion,  Your  Ma- 
jesty." 

"  Ah !  I  remember.  Well,  that  is  an  additional 
reason  why  I  should  attach  you  to  my  person." 

"  It  is  too  late.  Sire ;"  murmured  the  young  soldier. 

"  Too  late.  Captain  Durosier  ?  and  why  ?" 

"  Sire,  they  have  hit  me  ;"  and  as  he  spoke  he  with- 
drew a  handkerchief  saturated  with  blood  from  the 
breast  of  his  coat.  "  All  will  soon  be  over —  Vive 
VMnpereur  !     Vive  la  ^France  I " 

He  reeled  for  an  instant  in  his  saddle,  and  then  fell 
heavily  into  the  arms  of  an  officer  who  had  sprung 
forward  to  support  him. 

Timoleon  Durosier  was  a  corpse. 

"  So  young ! — so  young ! — and  so  brave ! — and  to  die 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  209 

on  his  first  battle-field  I"  exclaimed  the  Emperor,  as  ho 
bent  down  for  an  instant  over  the  body  :  "  Poor  boy  ! 
Poor  boy  I" 

Then  setting  spurs  to  his  charger,  he  galloped  off,  as 
if  unable  to  linger  over  so  sad  a  spectacle. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

NAPOLEON    AND  THE   00CBT-MILLINER8. 

The  unbounded  generosity  of  Josephine  amounted  to 
prodigality.  Had  she  been  born  "under  the  purple" 
she  could  not  have  been  more  Imperial  in  her  ideas  of 
patronage  and  liberality ;  and  even  when  only  the  wife 
of  the  First  Consul  she  appeared  to  have  totally  forgot- 
ten the  period  of  poverty  and  privation  through  which 
she  had  herself  passed,  and  to  consider  money  as  the 
most  unimportant  matter  in  the  world. 

On  one  occasion,  during  the  Consulate,  M.  Chaptal, 
then  Minister  of  the  Interior,  had  refused  to  permit  the 
subsequently  famous  tragedian  Mademoiselle  Duches- 
nois  to  make  her  debut  in  Paris,  alleging  that  "  she  was 
too  u§ly  to  have  a  chance  of  success ;"  a  declaration 
which  greatly  annoyed  her  friend  Madame  Lebrun,  the 
artist,  whose  admirable  talent  had  earned  for  her  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  female  painter  ever  admitted 
into  the  French  Academy. 

Aware  that,  should  the  objection  of  M.  Chaptal  really 
exclude  this  young  actress  from  the  Parisian  stage,  her 
future  prospects  must  be  utterly  blighted,  and  her  past 


210  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

studies,  arduous  as  they  had  been  for  years,  rendered 
valueless,  the  generous-hearted  woman  resolved  to  ex- 
plain the  painful  position  of  her  friend  to  Madame  de 
Montesson,  and  to  entreat  her  good  offices  in  her  behalf. 
The  marquise,  who  was  ever  ready  to  assist  the  unfor- 
tunate, at  once  promised  to  give  an  evening  reception 
to  which  she  would  invite  Madame  Bonaparte,  and 
where  she  would  present  Mademoiselle  Duchesnois  to 
her  notice.  "  I  will  inform  her  beforehand  ;"  she  con- 
tinued ;  "  wherefore  I  especially  request  of  her  not  to 
fail  me,  and  then  she  will  be  quite  sure  to  come ;  for, 
as  you  must  be  aware,  Madame  Bonaparte  never  loses 
an  opportunity  of  doing  a  good  action,  or  of  repairing 
an  injustice." 

The  party  consisted  of  about  two  hundred  individuals, 
to  the  whole  of  whom  Mademoiselle  Duchesnois  was 
formally  presented;  nor  were  a  score  among  them 
found  to  differ  in  opinion  with  M.  Chaptal ;  the  young 
aspirant  to  tragic  honors  being  at  that  period  of  such 
extraordinary  ugliness  that  not  a  single  prospect  of  her 
ever  becoming  less  forbidding  in  appearance  could  be 
detected.  Thin  to  positive  attenuation,  apparently  ill- 
made,  and  sallow  to  excess,  no  one  could  for  a  moment 
anticipate  that  she  would  one  day  become  the  success- 
ful rival  of  Mademoiselle  Georges,  whose  incompkrable 
beauty  had  enslaved  the  whole  Consular  court,  from 
Bonaparte  himself  to  his  junior  aide-de-camp.  JSTot 
having  means  to  compete  with  the  costly  beauties  with 
whom  she  thus  suddenly  found  herself  brought  into 
contact,  the  costume  of  Mademoiselle  Duchesnois  was 
at  once  of  simple  fashion  and  of  inferior  materials ;  but 
the  experienced  skill  of  the  zealous  Madame  Lebrun 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  211 

had,  nevertheless,  by  tlie  arrangement  of  her  hair  and 
dress,  contrived  to  give  a  sort  of  wild  grace  to  her^ro- 
iSgSe  which  was  not  without  its  charm. 

On  their  entering  the  saloon  the  two  friends  were  at 
once  led  up  to  Madame  Bonaparte,  who  was  convei*sing 
with  the  critical  Home  Minister,  and  were  most  gra- 
ciously received  by  the  wife  of  the  Fii*8t  Consul ;  and 
when  she  had  made  her  curtsey  to  the  general  guests. 
Mademoiselle  Duchesnois,  at  the  request  of  the  mar- 
quise, proceeded  to  declaim  the  role  of  Phedre  from 
Racine's  tragedy  of  that  name,  and  a  portion  of  that  of 
Boxane,  which  she  did  so  admirably  as  to  excite  univer- 
sal enthusiasm ;  her  want  of  beauty  wa^  no  longer  re- 
membered ;  while,  so  great  was  the  power  of  her  genius, 
that  some  of  her  auditors  even  went  so  far  as  to  declare 
that  in  her  moments  of  enthusiasm  she  was  almost  hand- 
some. M.  Chaptal,  carried  away  in  his  turn  by  her 
wonderful  powers,  and  remarking,  moreover,  the  delight 
of  Madame  Bonaparte,  hesitated  n(i  longer ;  but  then 
and  there,  with  many  flattering  assurances  of  the  plea- 
sure which  he  had  derived  from  her  recitations,  signed 
the  authority  for  her  appearance.  This  was  no  sooner 
done  than  it  was  decided  that,  in  order  to  accustom  her 
to  the  stage,  she  should  first  perform  once  or  twice  in 
the  theatre  at  Versailles,  Madame  Bonaparte  and  the 
Marquise  de  Montesson  undertaking  to  provide  her 
with  a  suitable  wardrobe  ;  while  all  those  present  were 
invited  to  attend  these  preliminary  representations, 
which  were  productive  of  a  success  that  was  subse- 
quently destined  to  engender  a  dissension  between  the 
factions  of  the  rival  votaries  of  Melpomene,  so  bitter  as 
even  to  involve  several  arrests. 


212  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

In  order  to  seo-iire  the  prosperity  of  tlie  national 
manufactures,  the  First  Consul  had  issued  an  order 
that  no  ladies  should  be  received  at  the  Tuileries  in 
dresses  of  foreign  material ;  and  as  Madame  Bonaparte 
had  in  her  possession  a  great  quantity  of  Indian  fabrics, 
both  in  silk,  cachemire,  and  muslin,  embroidered  in 
gold  and  silver,  she  presented  them  en  masse  to  the 
young  tragedian ;  accompanied  by  a  magnificent  set  of 
topaz,  which  had  been  given  to  her  by  M.  de  Souza, 
the  Portuguese  minister ;  nor  did  she  discontinue  her 
kindly  care  of  the  debutante  until  she  no  longer  re- 
quired it. 

But  it  was  not  only  under  the  eyes  of  the  Court  that 
Josephine  evinced  her  sympathy  with  those  who  suf- 
fered. On  one  occasion,  after  she  had  become  Empress 
of  the  French,  as  she  was  driving  towards  Caen  accom- 
panied by  Madame  d' Arberg,  one  of  her  ladies  of  honor, 
she  caught  sight  of  a  poor  young  woman  carrying  twin 
infants  in  her  ar«is,  while  a  little  girl  of  about  four 
years  of  age  was  clinging  to  her  ragged  dress,  as  she 
stood  by  her  mother's  side  gazing  in  speechless  wonder 
at  the  advancing  equipages. 

"  Your  purse,  Madame  !"  exclaimed  Josephine,  turn- 
ing abruptly  towards  her  companion. 

"  I  have  not  one  about  me,"  was  the  reply. 

With  an  impatient  gesture,  the  Empress  hastily  un- 
clasped a  heavy  chain  of  gold  which  she  wore  about 
her  neck  ;  and,  throwing  it  from  the  carriage  window, 
cried  at  the  pitch  of  her  voice,  in  order  that  the  object 
of  her  bounty  might  be  assured  of  her  intention  : — 

"  It  is  for  you  and  your  children." 

Before  Madame  d' Arberg  had  recovered  from  her 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  213 

enrprise,  the  wretched  proup  were  already  far  distant, 
and  the' Empress  was  talking  upon  indiflerent  subjects, 
without  making  the  slightest  allusion  to  the  little  scene 
which  had  just  taken  place. 

On  the  following  morning,  while  Josephine  was  still 
seated  at  breakfast,  the  head- valet  addressed  a  few 
words  in  a  low  voice  to  the  chamberlain  on  duty,  who 
rose,  and  in  his  turn  communicated  some  information, 
in  the  same  undertone,  to  his  Imperial  mistress  ;  who, 
looking  round  upon  her  ladies,  said  with  deep  emo- 
tion : — 

"  Would  you  believe,  Mesdames,  that  the  poor  wo- 
man we  saw  on  the  highroad  yesterday,  has  brought 
back  the  chain,  asserting  that  I  must  have  made  a  mis- 
take, or  that  I  let  it  fall  by  accident  ?  Go,  and  tell  her 
to  wait." 

On  rising  from  table,  Josephine  sent  for  the  lionest 
peasant,  and  gdve  her  a  note  to  the  Bishop  of  Evreux, 
requesting  him  to  dispose  of  the  chain,  and  witli  the 
proceeds  to  secure  a  decent  lodging  and  some  present 
comforts  for  the  evidently  destitute  creature,  should  he, 
on  making  inquiry,  find  that  she  was  worthy  of  her 
future  care.  "  But  in  any  case  ;"  she  added ;  "  let  her 
be  comfortably  lodged  and  clothed,  as  well  as  her  chil- 
dren." 

The  adventure  terminated  satisfactorily  to  the  Em- 
press ;  her  new  protegee  proving  to  be  the  widow  of  a 
sailor  who  had  perished  by  shipwreck,  and  a  woman  of 
irreproachable  character ;  who,  having  heard  that  the 
Empress  was  always  performing  acts  of  charity  and 
benevolence,  had  undertaken,  with  her  helpless  orphans, 
a  journey  from  her  native  village,  in  the  hope  of  ob- 


214  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

taining  employment  in  the  lace-factory  established  by 
Her  Majesty.  We  need  scarcely  add  that  her  hopes 
were  realised,  and  that  thenceforward  she  became  an 
object  of  great  and  untiring  interest  to  her  illustrious 
patroness. 

In  the  year  1814,  near  the  close  of  March,  and  a  few 
days  previous  to  her  departure  for  Navarre,  as  Jose- 
phine was  standing  at  the  window  of  one  of  the  pavi- 
lions at  la  Malmaison  which  overlooked  the  road,  she 
saw  a  Sister  of  Charity — one  of  those  admirable  women 
who  devote  their  lives  to  the  sick  and  the  afflicted,  and 
who  either  spend  their  days  in  the  gloomy  wards  of  an 
hospital,  or  among  the  children  of  the  poor — slowly 
making  her  way  towards  Paris,  and  evidently  footsore 
and  fatigued. 

"  My  good  sister ;"  asked  the  Empress,  as  she  was 
passing  under  the  window ;  "  where  are  you  coming 
from  so  early  ?" 

"  From  St.  Germain,  Madame  ;"  meekly  replied  the 
nun,  who  had  been  employed  in  telhng  the  beads  of 
her  rosary,  and  who  was  quite  ignorant  of  the  identity 
of  her  interlocutor. 

"  Indeed  !  why  you  have  already  walked  a  long  way. 
Have  you  much  further  to  go  ?" 

"  I  shall  perhaps  be  compelled  to  go  to  Paris,  Ma- 
dame ;  but  probably  I  may  remain  at  Kanterre,  as 
I  fear  that  my  errand  will  be  unsuccessful,  from  my 
not  being  acquainted  with  any  one  at  the  Direction." 

"  What  Direction  ?"  inquired  the  Empress  ;  "  Have 
you  business  to  transact  with  any  of  the  General 
Directors  ?" 

"  My  business,  Madame ;"  said  the  sister  ;  "  concerns 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  215 

our  hospital,  "which  is  just  now  very  poor,  and  in  great 
M'ant  of  many  necessaries;  and  as  I  heard  from  our 
doctors  that  a  large  quantity  of  English  cloth  had  been 
seized,  and  that  M.  Coustard  Saint-L6  was  distributing 
it  among  the  military  hospitals,  I  thought  1  would  try 
to  induce  him  to  spare  a  few  pieces  to  lie,  as  our  sick 
have  no  sheets  to  their  beds." 

"  You  were  quite  right  in  doing  as  you  have  done, 
'tna  bonne  8osur,''^  said  Josephine ;  "but  you  do  not  know 
M.  Coustard.  Leave  me  to  execute  your  commission, 
and  I  will  be  answerable  for  its  success." 

"  Ah,  Madame ;"  exclaimed  the  nun  ;  "  I  should  not 
have  dared  to  hope  for  so  much  generous  kindness 
from  a  stranger  ;  but  you  will  do  a  good  deed,  Madame  ; 
and  one  for  which  the  poor  wounded  soldiers,  who  are 
brought  to  us  every  day,  will  bless  you." 

"With  a  lowly  bend  and  a  murmured  benison  the  nun 
proceeded  on  her  way,  but  she  had  not  gone  more  than 
a  few  yards  when  she  remembered  that  she  had  omitted 
to  ask  the  name  of  her  benefactress  ;  and  as,  on  looking 
back,  she  discovered  that  the  lady  was  still  standing  on 
the  same  spot,  watching  her  as  she  pursued  her  journey, 
she  suddenly  turned  back,  and  said  earnestly  : — 

"  Pardon  me,  Madame,  and  believe  that  it  is  from  no 
idle  feeling  of  curiosity  that  I  again  intrude  upon  you  ; 
but  I  am  anxious  to  know  the  name  of  the  person  who 
honors  our  poor  hospital  by  her  protection,  in  order 
that  we  may  remember  it  in  our  prayers.  I  almost 
believe  that  I  suspect  it ;  but — " 

"  Oh !"  smiled  the  Empress  kindly  ;  "  It  is  poor  Jose- 
phine— but  do  not  mention  our  interview  to  any  one." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  to  receive  such  an  order  from 


216  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

Your  Majesty ;"  was  the  respectful  rejoinder;  ^'for  I 
am  well  aware  that  you  never  like  your  good  deeds  to 
be  blazoned  abroad  ;  but  as  it  is  indeed  to  the  best  friend 
of  the  unfortunate  that  I  have  had  the  honor  to  address 
myself,  I  no  longer  fear  to  be  importunate  in  urging 
you  to  do  us  another  very  great  service  :  we  are  sadly 
in  want  of  lint,  and  if  Your  Majesty  would  conde- 
scend— " 

"  You  shall  have  as  much  lint  as  you  require  ;"  inter- 
posed the  Empress ;  "  we  will  immediately  set  to  work 
upon  it." 

And  from  that  day  until  the  period  of  her  departure, 
Josephine  employed  all  her  evenings  in  making  lint, 
assisted  by  the  ladies  of  her  household. 

On  the  marriage  of  Prince  Eugene  with  the  Princess 
Amalie  of  Bavaria,  she  discovered  that  he  was  deeply 
mortiHed  at  being  unable  to  purchase  in  Munich  any 
present  for  his  bride-elect  which  could  compete  with 
the  magnificent  offerings  of  the  Emperor  ;  and  that  not 
even  among  the  stores  of  M.  I^itot,  the  crown-jeweller, 
who  had  followed  the  court  from  Paris,  anything  suffi- 
ciently costly  for  the  purpose  could  be  found  ;  thus  the 
Prince  was  in  despair,  when  the  self-sacrificing  Jose- 
phine came  to  his  aid. 

On  the  first  representation  of  a  new  tragedy,  the 
Empress  had  been  forcibly  struck  by  the  novelty  and 
beauty  of  a  diadem  worn  by  Mademoiselle  Georges  ;  of 
whom  she  had  desired  M.  Kitot  to  request  tlie  loan,  in 
order  that  he  might  make  one  for  herself  precisely  simi- 
lar. This  splendid  ornament  had  only  been  completed 
a  few  days ;  and,  as  she  had  never  worn  it,  she  pre- 
sented it  to  her  son,  who  hastened  to  lay  it  at  the  feet 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  217 

of  his  future  wife ;  while  bo  gorgeous  a  gift  was  the 
more  vahied  by  tlie  royal  family  of  Bavaria,  that  the 
simplicity  of  tlieir  court  was  extreme  ;  and  a  cashmere 
shawl,  given  to  the  Queen  by  the  Empress  on  the  same 
occasion,  was  the  first  of  which  Her  Bavarian  Majesty 
had  ever  been  possessed. 

Tliese  few  examples  will  serve  to  prove  that  if  Jose- 
phine was  profuse  even  to  prodigality,  she  was  at  least 
right  regally  munificent ;  and  that  if  she  carried  her 
love  of  dress  to  a  great  extreme,  she  might  well  be  par- 
doned when  it  is  remembered  that  the  Conqueror  of 
the  European  Continent,  who  might  have  been  sup- 
posed to  be  totally  indifl:erent  to  the  respective  merits 
of  satins  and  velvets,  was,  on  the  contrary,  so  hyper- 
critical upon  the  subject  as  frequently  to  carry  his 
comments  far  beyond  the  boundai'ies  of  good-breeding. 

Tlie  Empress  had  given  ordere  that  Mesdames 
Despeaux  and  Corot,  her  dress-makers,  should  always 
be  admitted  to  her  presence  whenever  they  had  any 
novelties  to  exhibit ;  while  the  Emperor  had  stringently 
commanded  that  they  should  never  be  suffered  to  enter 
the  state  apartments ;  and,  above  all,  that  they  should 
never  be  allowed  to  take  up  their  station  in  the  gal- 
leries through  which  the  officers  of  the  household  were 
compelled  to  pass. 

On  one  occasion  the  Emperor  came  upon  Mademoi- 
selle Despeaux,  who  was  accompanied  by  two  of  her 
assistants  laden  with  bandboxes ;  both  of  whom,  the 
ladies,  not  the  cartons,  were  extremely  beautiful.  As 
she  caught  sight  of  IS'apoleon,  Mademoiselle  Despeaux, 
who  had  been  waiting  for  above  half  an  hour  until  the 
Empress  should  leave  her  bath,  endeavored  to  conceal 

1(T 


218  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

herself  behind  some  of  the  palace-officials,  but  she  was 
unable  to  effect  her  purpose  ;  and  her  heart  sank  within 
her  as  she  saw  him  walk  straight  to  the  spot ;  and  heard 
him  exclaim  angrily : — 

"  Madame,  this  is  no  place  for  you,  as  you  ought  to 
be  well  aware ;  go  and  find  the  waiting- women  of  Her 
Majesty." 

During  the  breakfast,  until  which  hour  he  had  been 
"nursing  his  wrath  to  keep  it  warm,"  he  turned 
abruptly  to  Josephine,  and  said  curtly : — 

"If  you  persist  in  allowing  yonr  rag-merchants  to 
intrude  themselves  into  the  apartments  where  my 
officers  are  lounging  about,  and  endeavoring  to  amuse 
their  idleness  by  making  love  to  them,  I  warn  you  that 
I  will  take  such  measures  as  shall  enforce  obedience  to 
my  commands  to  the  contrary." 

The  Empress  promised,  for  about  the  hundredth 
time,  that  it  should  never  happen  again ;  but  on  the 
following  morning  Abbro,  l^outier,  and  Mademoiselle 
[N'oel  succeeded  Mesdames  Despeaux  and  Corot  with 
their  gloves,  fans,  and  laces. 

The  admission  of  these  fashionable  milliners  into  the 
palace  was  fatal  to  the  purses  of  the  great  men  of  the 
court,  and  occasioned  continual  matrimonial  quarrels ; 
as  well  as  unliquidated  debts,  which,  whenever  they 
reached  the  ears  of  Kapoleon,  excited  his  violent 
anger. 

Tlie  Empress  was  accused  of  inciting  her  ladies  to 
the  reckless  extravagance  of  which  they  were  guilty ; 
when  she  invariably  replied  by  declaring  that  she 
would  pay  their  bills,  forgetting  that  she  was  not 
unfrequently  unable  to  pay  her  own. 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  219 

At  the  close  of  one  of  these  stormy  discussions,  the 
celebrated  modiste  Leroi  was  presumptuous  enough  to 
complain  to  Napoleon  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  income 
which  he  accorded  to  the  Empress  for  the  purposes  of 
her  toilette ;  but  his  impertinence  was  met  by  a  frown 
so  stern  and  withering  that  his  eyes  sank  beneath  it, 
and  he  withdrew  in  silence. 

The  costume  of  the  Empress  was  a  perpetual  subject 
of  criticism  to  her  husband  ;  and  he  one  day  reproached 
her  before  all  her  ladies  with  having  introduced  more 
new  fashions  into  France  than  there  were  days  in  the 
year.  *'  It  is  quite  enough  for  me  to  have  your  personal 
debts  to  pay,  without  being  compelled  to  make  presents 
to  my  aides-de-camp;"  he  said  in  conclusion;  "in 
order  to  prevent  your  rag-merchants  from  proclaiming 
all  over  Paris  that  their  wives  owe  them  money." 

He  frequently  teased  her  while  she  was  dressing,  for 
making  use  of  rouge  and  pearl-powder,  to  which  cos- 
metics he  had  a  great  aversion  ;  and  one  evening,  when 
she  was  preparing  for  the  opera,  and  had  made  more 
than  usual  use  of  both,  he  advised  her  to  lay  them  on 
still  thicker :  "  Come,  do  not  be  afraid  ; "  he  urged  sar- 
castically ;  "  apply  another  coat,  as  this  lady  has  done, 
although  it  strikes  me  that  she  has  been  more  sparing 
to-night  than  is  her  general  habit."  And  as  he  spoke 
he  pointed  to  one  of  her  ladies  of  honor,  to  whom  only 
two  days  previously  he  had  said  :  "  Madame,  why  have 
you  appeared  in  her  Majesty's  circle  without  rouge  ? 
You  look  as  if  you  had  just  recovered  from  a  confine- 
ment." 

It  was  a  singular  mania  in  a  man  whose  will  was 
law,   and  upon   whom   devolved  so   many  and  such 


220  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

onerous  duties,  to  be  perpetually  interfering  with  the 
dress  of  all  the  women  with  whom  he  came  into  con- 
tact ;  nor  was  it  easy  to  reconcile  his  inconsistency  ;  as 
while  on  some  occasions  he  became  furious  at  the 
expense  in  which  the  elaborate  toilette  of  the  ladies  of 
his  court  involved  their  husbands,  he  rebuked  them  at 
other  times  for  the  want  of  respect  evinced  by  their 
disregard  of  the  duties  of  their  position  ;  and  so  perpe- 
tually was  he  occupied  by  the  subject,  that  the  Em- 
press having  ventured  to  put  on  a  dress  of  which  he 
had  expressed  his  dislike,  when  she  was  about  to  hold  a 
public  reception,  he  overturned  an  inkstand  into  her 
lap  and  so  compelled  her  to  change  her  entire  costume. 

"Whenever  he  was  in  Paris,  the  ladies  of  the  palace 
spent  more  than  half  their  time  in  dressing  and  undress- 
ing. There  was  the  morning  toilette,  the  dinner  toi- 
lette, and  the  evening  toilette,  all  of  which  were  to  be 
scrupulously  observed ;  and  if  it  chanced  that  one  of 
them  presented  herself  in  a  robe  which  she  had  worn 
on  the  preceding  day,  he  never  failed  to  accost  her 
with  a  frowning  brow,  and  to  ask  sharply  :  "  Have  you 
no  other  gown,  Madame,  than  that  which  you  have  on  ? 
Can  you  not  induce  your  husband  to  purchase  you 
another  ?"  And  as  soon  as  the  words  were  uttered,  he 
turned  his  back  on  the  delinquent. 

At  a  ball  given  at  the  Tuileries,  in  honor  of  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Princess  Stephanie,  Grand-Duchess  of 
Baden,  as  he  was  sauntering  through  the  room,  he 
accosted  a  lady  near  him  with  the  abrupt  question : 
"Who  are  you?" 

"  Sire  ; "  she  replied  ;  "  I  am  Madame  Charpentier." 

"  The  wife  of  the  General  ?" 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  221 

"  Yes,  Sire." 

"Well,  Madame  Charpentier ;"  was  the  rejoinder; 
"  you  are  most  unbecomingly  dressed,  and  very  much 
altered  for  the  worse." 

And  leaving  the  poor  woman  pale  with  mortification, 
he  moved  on. 

Tlie  next  who  attracted  his  attention  was  extraordi- 
narily beautiful,  and  remarkable  for  the  profusion  and 
fine  quality  of  the  diamonds  with  which  she  was  lite- 
rally Covered.*  Tlie  Emperor  was  evidently  struck  by 
her  appearance,  and  addressed  her  with  a  smile,  as  he 
asked :  "  And  who  are  you,  Madame  ?" 

"  Sire ;"  was  the  reply  of  the  lady,  who  was  not  slow 
to  perceive  the  impression  which  she  had  produced, 
and  who  returned  his  look  of  admiration  so  gratefully 
as  to  dazzle  him  with  the  full  light  of  her  magnificent 
eyes  ;  "  I  am  Madame  Simon." 

"  Ah,  yes ! — I  know — "  said  I^apoleon,  without 
making  an  effort  to  restrain  the  burst  of  laughter  with 
which  he  turned  away. 

Madame  Simon  had  formerly  been  Mademoiselle 
Lange,  an  actress  at  the  Comedie  Franqaise,  whose 
lovely  face  had  won  the  heart  of  her  husband,  an  ex- 
carriage-builder  of  enormous  wealth,  who  subsequently 
became  a  banker.  Girodet  had  painted  her  portrait 
shortly  after  her  marriage,  but  with  all  his  talent  he 
had  failed  to  satisfy  either  the  husband  or  the  wife; 
the  lady  not  considering  it  suflBciently  handsome,  and 
the  gentleman  declaring  it  to  be  greatly  overcharged. 
Under  these  circumstances,  the  artist,  secure  in  his 
celebrity,  and  conscious  that  he  had  done  full  justice 
to  his  subject,  resolved  to  avenge  the  insult  offered  to 


222  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

his  genius ;  and  he  accordingly  refused  with  great 
indignation  to  abate  one  sous  of  his  demand.  As  a 
natural  consequence,  he  would  not  part  with  the  pic- 
ture, but  revenged  himself  by  altering  several  of  the 
accessories  ;  and  as  the  lady  was  represented  reclining 
upon  a  couch,  he  transformed  her  into  a  Danae,  above 
whom  a  profuse  shower  of  gold  was  descending,  while 
beside  her  strutted  a  huge  turkey-cock.  This  allegori- 
cal painting,  in  whose  principal  figure  every  one 
instantly  recognised  Madame  Simon,  he  forwarded  to 
the  Exhibition,  where  it  was  exposed  for  two  days 
before  the  circumstance  reached  the  ears  of  his  victim, 
who  hastened  to  claim  the  picture,  asserting  that  she 
was  willing  to  pay  any  price  which  he  might  demand 
for  it. 

Girodet,  satisfied  by  the  success  of  his  scheme,  declin- 
ed to  grant  her  request,  but  pledged  himself  that  he 
would  put  the  obnoxious  painting  out  of  sight ;  a  pro- 
mise which  he  honorably  fulfilled ;  and  it  was  the  re- 
collection of  the  Danae  which  unfortunately  crossed  the 
mind  of  the  Emperor,  and  caused  him  to  indulge  in  the 
ill-timed  mirth  to  which  we  have  alluded. 

One  day  his  anger  was  extreme.  He  had  caused  to 
be  seized  and  burnt  a  quantity  of  English  merchandise, 
among  which  were  some  magnificent  muslins  intended 
for  the  Empress,  but  seeing  her  deeply  hurt  by  the  dis- 
appointment she  had  experienced  in  consequence,  he 
at  length  said  : — 

"  Listen  to  me,  Josephine.  The  greatest  grief,  or  the 
greatest  punishment  that  a  husband  can  inflict  upon 
his  wife  is  to  lock  up  her  bonnets,  her  dresses,  and  her 
fripperies.     I  will  forgive  you  this  time,  and  I  will  even 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  228 

restore  to  you  some  of  the  packages  which  have  escaped 
destruction,  for  I  beg  to  tell  you  that  it  was  I  who  per- 
sonally laid  the  embargo  upon  what  you  call  your 
orders  ;  but  I  will  do  so  only  upon  one  condition,  which 
is,  that  should  you  ever  make  a  similar  attempt,  I  pledge 
you  my  word  that  I  will  arrest,  prosecute,  and  shoot  all 
those  who  commit  a  similar  crime  in  order  to  adminis- 
ter to  your  vanity.  I  will  have  no  mercy  upon  smug- 
glers ;  they  are  the  ruin  of  a  nation  ;  and,  Empress 
though  you  may  be,  you  are  nevertheless  not  above  the 
laws.  On  the  contrary,  I  will  prove  to  you  that  you 
shall  yourself,  should  you  again  transgress  in  a  like 
manner,  afford  an  example  to  all  France  of  my  deter- 
mination to  see  them  respected." 

The  Empress  made  no  reply. 

Some  days  subsequently  he  found  Mademoiselle  Des- 
peaux  in  the  saloon  of  Josephine,  delivering  a  lecture 
on  the  mysteries  of  her  profession  to  the  whole  feminine 
court,  amid  which  he  fell  like  a  bomb-shell. 

"  What !  here  again  !"  he  vociferated  in  the  voice  of 
a  Stentor ;  "  Does  it  never  strike  you,  Madame,  that 
you  are  ruining  me  ?  That  you  are  ruining  the  hus- 
bands of  these  ladies,  who  are  weak  enough  to  listen 
to  your  absurdities?  That  you  are  reducing  whole 
families  to  poverty  ?" 

And  without  awaiting  any  rejoinder  from  the  affright- 
ed milliner,  he  seized  her  by  the  arm,  and  put  her  out 
of  the  room. 

Madame  Lesueur,  a  celebrated  lace-maker  who 
was  patronised  by  the  Empress,  had  received  from  the 
Princess  Pauline  Borghese  a  large  order  which,  among 
other  articles,  comprised  a  dress  for  which  she  had  her- 


224  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Belf  given  the  design,  while  the  remainder  had  also 
been  executed  in  strict  conformity  with  her  directions ; 
the  price  of  the  whole  amounting  to  about  thirty  thou- 
sand francs.  When,  however,  Madame  Lesueur,  ex- 
pecting to  receive  not  only  the  value  of  the  merchan- 
dise, but  also  the  compliments  of  Her  Imperial  High- 
ness upon  the  perfection  with  which  she  had  completed 
her  task,  announced  that  she  was  ready  to  deliver  the 
several  articles  to  their  intended  owner,  the  princess 
had  changed  her  mind. 

Madame  Lesueur  expostulated,  and  entreated  Her 
Highness  to  explain  the  cause  which  had  induced  her 
to  decline  fulfilling  her  contract ;  but  the  imperious 
Pauline  would  not  condescend  to  be  questioned,  and 
desired  that  the  subject  might  never  again  be  mentioned 
in  her  presence.  It  was  enough  that  she  no  longer  re- 
quired what  she  had  ordered ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
Madame  Lesueur  had  only  to  state  that  she  had  herself 
designed  the  patterns  in  order  to  dispose  of  everything 
without  the  smallest  difiiculty. 

In  vain  did  the  mortified  and  disappointed  lace-maker 
endeavor  by  every  means  in  her  power  to  induce  the 
princess  to  reconsider  her  refusal;  all  her  representa- 
tions were  unavailing ;  when,  feeling  justly  aggrieved, 
she  caused  the  transaction  to  be  mentioned  to  Josephine ; 
who  having  examined  the  laces,  and  convinced  herself 
that  the  price  demanded  for  them  was  by  no  means  ex- 
orbitant, was  compelled  to  admit  that  the  affair,  should 
it  be  made  public,  would  be  very  discreditable  to  her 
sister-in-law ;  and  not  knowing  how  otherwise  to  hush 
the  matter  up,  she  at  length  resolved  to  explain  it  to 
Napoleon,  and  to  leave  it  to  his  decision. 


NAPOLEON   AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  225 

Always  interested  by  similar  details,  the  Emperor  in 
his  turn  closely  examined  all  the  contents  of  Madame 
Lesueur's  cases,  article  by  article,  exclaiming  from  time 
to  time :  "  How  admirably  they  work  in  France  1  It 
is  my  duty  to  encourage  such  a  trade  as  this  I  Pauline 
is  wrong — very  wrong.     Nothing  can  be  more  perfect." 

The  result  was  that  Napoleon  paid  the  bill,  and  took 
possession  of  the  laces,  which  he  distributed  among  the 
ladies  of  the  court. 

Nor  was  he  less  placable  as  regarded  the  liabilities 
of  his  wife,  when  he  had  once  recovered  from  his  first 
fit  of  anger ;  and  so  well  aware  was  Josephine  of  the 
fact,  that  she  never  hesitated  to  gratify  her  love  of  splen- 
dor at  the  expense  of  her  prudence  ;  although  after  her 
divorce  she  appeared  to  care  rather  for  the  possession, 
than  the  exhibition,  of  her  magnificent  jewels.  Only 
upon  one  occasion  did  tlie  Emperor  refuse  to  sanction 
a  purchase  which  she  had  made,  but  in  that  instance  he 
did  so  resolutely. 

It  was  a  short  period  before  the  commencement  ol 
the  Russian  campaign ;  when  Josephine,  having  learnt 
from  one  of  her  ladies  that  Nitot  had  just  completed  for 
one  of  the  Oriental  Potentates  the  most  extraordinary 
suit  of  diamonds  ever  seen,  she  expressed  her  wish  to 
examine  them  ;  and  they  were  accordingly  taken  to 
the  palace  by  the  court-jeweller,  and  submitted  to  her 
inspection.  Never,  despite  all  the  costly  presents  ot 
which  she  had  been  the  recipient  from  the  several 
crowned  heads  of  Europe,  had  she  looked  upon  any- 
thing so  gorgeous  ;  and  while  she  was  energetically  ex- 
pressing her  admiration,  and  even  fastening  the  flash- 
ing gems  upon  her  neck  and  arms,  Nitot  said  bitterly : — 

10* 


226  EPISODES  OF   FKENCH  HISTORY. 

"Your  Majesty  judges  with  your  usual  discrimina- 
tion. Even  Paris  sees  such  jewels  for  the  first  time ; 
and  yet,  Madame,  I  have  been  apprised  that  my  illus- 
trious employer  has  changed  his  mind,  before  he  has 
given  himself  an  opportunity  of  estimating  my  skill  and 
care  in  the  arrangement  of  these  precious  gems ;  and 
that  I  am  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  the  jparure  should  I 
be  fortunate  enough  to  find  a  purchaser." 

"  What  say  you,  Monsieur  ?"  exclaimed  Josephine 
eagerly,  as  she  placed  the  diadem  upon  her  brow,  and 
gazed  complacently  at  the  reflection  of  her  own  image 
in  the  tall  mirror  before  which  she  was  standing ;  "  do 
I  understand  that  you  are  authorised  to  part  with  these 
ornaments  ?" 

"  I  am,  Madame." 

"  At  what  price  ?"  she  asked,  almost  breathless  from 
excitement. 

"  For  eight  hundred  thousand  francs.  Your  Majesty  ; 
and  they  are  richly  worth  ten,"  was  the  reply. 

"  They  are  mine.  Monsieur  ;"  said  Josephine,  as  with 
the  assistance  of  Madame  de  Chevreuse  and  the  jeweller 
she  replaced  them  in  the  caskets ;  "  the  Emperor  will 
sign  you  a  receipt  from  Petersburg." 

Monsieur  N^itot,  thus  virtually  dismissed,  made  his 
obeisance  and  withdrew,  leaving  the  diamonds  in  the 
possession  of  the  Empress ;  but  Napoleon  had  scarcely 
returned  from  Fontainebleau  when  one  of  his  palace 
spies  informed  him  of  the  whole  transaction ;  and  he 
forthwith  proceeded  to  the  apartments  of  his  wife,  and 
desired  her  to  produce  her  morning  purchase.  Jose- 
phine was  very  reluctantly  compelled  to  obey  ;  and,  as 
was  his  usual  habit  on  such  occasions,  Napoleon  care- 
fully scrutinised  the  jewels. 


NAPOLEON  AND  THE  COURT-MILLINERS.  227 

"  Your  taste  is  good,  Madame ;  very  good ;"  he  said 
gravely,  as  she  hung  upon  his  shoulder  with  one  of  her 
most  winning  smiles  ;  "  but  you  may  perhaps  remem- 
ber what  I  once  wrote  to  you  from  Italy — that  I  was  a 
man  of  strong  and  decided  purpose,  while  nature  had 
only  created  you  out  of  gauze  and  laces.  Was  1  wrong 
in  so  judging  of  us  both?  What  is  the  price  of  these 
pretty  playthings  ?" 

The  reply  to  this  question  was  whispered  rather  than 
spoken. 

"  Eight  hundred  thousand  francs  !"  echoed  the  Em- 
peror sarcastically  ;  '*  By  no  means  a  bad  commence- 
ment wherewith  to  feed  and  clothe  my  soldiers. 
Duroc— " 

The  Grand-Marshal  of  the  palace  advanced  a  pace  or 
two. 

"I  confide  these  jewels  to  your  care.  Let  them  be 
restored  to  Nitot  without  the  loss  of  a  moment ;  and 
tell  Bourrienne  that  I  shall  immediately  be  with  him  in 
my  cabinet." 

There  was  naturally  no  appeal  from  so  decided  a  com- 
mand; and  the  mortified  Empress  felt  that  she  had 
looked  her  last  upon  the  coveted  diamonds. 

Scarcely,  however,  had  she  retired  to  la  Malmaison, 
after  her  divorce,  than  Napoleon,  aware  that  he  could 
offer  no  better  consolation  to  her  grief,  than  by  enabling 
her  to  indulge  in  her  cherished  habit  of  expenditure, 
paid  her  a  visit,  during  which  he  presented  to  her  a 
hundred  thousand  francs  to  embellish  her  house  and 
grounds  ;  two  hundred  thousand  to  purchase  the  adjoin- 
ing estate  of  Boispreau,  in  order  that  she  might  enlarge 
her  park  ;  and  one  million  in  advance  of  her  income  of 


228  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

three  millions,  to  enable  her  to  discharge  her  debts; 
together  with  six  hundred  thousand  francs  which  he  had 
left  in  his  bureau  at  la  Malmaison  to  provide  her  plate 
and  linen ;  thus  proving  that  although  he  had,  while 
she  shared  his  throne,  found  it  expedient  to  limit  her 
love  of  outlay,  he  was  quite  prepared  to  evince  his 
sense  of  the  dignity  of  her  position  as  his  divorced 
wife,  by  enabling  her  to  maintain  it  with  all  fitting 
splendor. 

A  sublime  exhibition  of  egotism  which  was  justly 
estimated  by  the  many ;  while  it  w^as  extolled  as  the 
most  admirable  generosity  by  the  few  who  were  content 
to  read  no  more  than  was  written  down  for  them ! 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 


THE   DIVOKCE. 


During  the  absence  of  I^apoleon  at  Erfurth,  where  he 
was  met  by  the  Emperor  Alexander  of  Russia,  the 
Queen  of  Westphalia,  the  Duchess  of  Weimar,  the 
Kings  of  Bavaria,  Wurtemberg,  Westphalia,  and  Sax- 
ony;  the  Grand-duke  Constantine,  the  Prince-Primate, 
Prince  William  of  Prussia,  the  Duke  of  Oldenburg,  the 
Prince  of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin,  and  the  Princes  of 
l^eufchStel  and  Benevento,  and  entertained  by  the 
Duke  of  Weimar  in  the  most  splendid  manner,  Jose* 
phine  retired  to  la  Malmaison.  Rumors  had  already 
reached  her,  to  which,  although  they  wrung  her  heart, 


THE  DIVORCE.  229 

she  lent  an  eager  ear ;  while  she,  moreover,  questioned 
all  the  members  of  her  household  in  turn,  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  the  anticipated  divorce,  witli  a  pertinacity  which 
compelled  them,  however  reluctantly,  to  admit  that 
they  were  not  altogether  ignorant  such  a  question  had 
been  mooted.  On  each  of  these  occasions  her  depres- 
sion and  anxiety  increased  ;  and  while  she  passionately 
declared  at  times  that  such  a  project  was  impossible,  at 
others  she  locked  herself  into  her  apartment  to  hide  the 
bitter  teai*s  forced  from  her  by  an  apprehension  which 
was  only  too  well-founded. 

Among  her  most  confidential  friends  was  the  Marquis 

d'A ,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  account  of 

an  interview  wliich  reveals  how  deeply  both  her 
woman-love  and  her  woman-pride  were  wounded  by 
the  prospect  before  her. 

As  1  had  the  honor  of  being  one  of  His  Majesty's 
Chamberlains — said  our  informant — I  was,  as  a  natural 
consequence,  a  privileged  visitor  to  la  Malmaison, 
where  I  constantly  presented  myself  to  pay  my 
respects  to  my  Imperial  Mistress  ;  who,  like  JN^apoleon 
himself,  always  graciously  welcomed  a  member  of  the 
noblesse  de  la  viellle  soucJie.  Josephine  was,  moreover, 
aware  that  by  accepting  office  under  the  Emperor  I 
had  offended  my  family,  and  exposed  myself  to  the 
sarcasms  and  reproaches  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain  ; 
and  she  consequently  treated  me  on  all  occasions  with 
a  distinction  to  which  I  was  quite  conscious  that  my 
mere  personal  merits  could  not  have  entitled  me. 

One  morning  as  she  rose  from  breakfast,  she  did  me 
the  honor  of  taking  my  arm ;  and  passing  through  the 
glass-doors  of  the  salon  into  the  grounds,  she  turned 


230  '    EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

towards  the  conservatories,  which  at  that  period  were 
unequalled  in  France,  and  upon  which  she  had  ex- 
pended enormous  sums  of  money.  The  Coratesse  de 
la  Kochefoucauld,  her  Mistress-of-the-Robes,  being 
slightly  indisposed,  was  not  in  attendance  ;  and  we 
were  consequently  accompanied  only  by  a  lady-in- 
waiting,  and  one  of  Josephine's  own  chamberlains 
who,  as  there  chanced  to  be  a  mutual  attraction,  by  no 
means  interfered  with  the  privacy  of  the  interview 
which  the  Empress  had  evidently  been  anxious  to 
secure  ;  and  after  one  or  two  furtive  glances,  which 
sufficed  to  convince  her  that  such  was  the  case,  the 
Empress  abruptly  asked  me  what  news  the  Faubourg 
St.  Germain  had  received  from  Erfurth. 

''  J^one,  Madame,"  was  my  reply. 

*'  Are  they  not  employed  in  discussing  my  divorce  ?" 
she  again  demanded. 

At  this  unexpected  inquiry  I  actually  shrank;  I 
knew  not  what  to  reply ;  how  could  I  torture  her 
generous  spirit  by  avowing  that  I  had  heard  the  subject 
coldly  argued,  and  the  result  which  she  so  much 
dreaded  declared  to  be  inevitable  ?  The  position  was 
a  painful  one ;  but  fearing  that  my  continued  silence 
might  betray  me,  I  contrived  to  stammer  out : 

"  Xay,  Madame,  that  is  a  question  which  I  cannot 
answer,  as  I  am  not  acquainted  with  either  madmen, 
fools,  or  traitors." 

"  And  yet  they  are  not  wanting  in  your  noble 
faubourg ;"  she  said  somewhat  bitterly  ;  "  if  they  alone 
are  occupied  in  conspiring  my  ruin.  We  have  now 
been  acquainted  a  long  time,  M.  d'A ;  do  not  dis- 
guise the  truth,  but  deal  frankly  with  me.     The  infor- 


THE  DIVORCE.  231 

mation  that  I  have  received  is  only  too  well  authenti- 
cated. The  great  ambition  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain 
is  to  induce  the  Emperor  to  form  a  second  marriage. 
The  Princess  Amelia  of  Saxony*  has  been  proposed  to 
him,  but  I  fear  nothing  from  her.  My  husband  would 
scarcely  feel  flattered  by  an  alliance  with  a  family, 
which,  however  august  it  may  be,  still  does  not  occupy 
the  first  rank  in  Europe.  To  satisfy  his  ambition  he 
must  obtain  cither  an  Arch-duchess  of  Austria,  or  a 
Grand-duchess  of  Russia." 

"  I  entreat  of  you,  Madame ;"  I  said  hurriedly  ;  "  to 
banish  all  such  painful  imaginations ;  the  Emperor 
loves  you  tenderly ;  he  sees  in  you  his  good  genius,  the 
star  of  his  prosperity ;  and  rely  on  it  that,  this  being 
the  case,  he  will  not  consent  to  immolate  at  once  his 
public  and  his  private  happiness." 

"  Ah,  Monsieur  ;^^  murmured  Josephine,  as  the  ready 
teai-s  sprang  to  her  eyes :  "  Why  was  I  not  ordained  to 
give  an  heir  to  France!  To  whom  will  he  now  be- 
queathe the  crowns  tliat  he  has  conquered  ?  I  flattered 
myself  for  a  time  that  Eugene — but  no,  my  mother- 
heart  misled  me.  The  son  of  Louis  is  already  in  his 
grave  ;  and,  moreover.  Napoleon  will  accept  no  adopted 
successor ;  nor  is  this  conviction  the  only  one  which 
compels  me  to  believe  in  my  misfortunes.  Fouche 
detests  me  ;  and  he  has  his  iron  hand  upon  the  wheel. 
Only  yesterday,  with  the  cold  malice  of  a  demon,  he 
endeavored  to  pei-suade  me  myself  to  propose  a  divorce, 
which  he  well  knows  will,  come  when  it  may,  prove 
my  death-warrant." 

As  the  agitated  Empress  informed  me  of  this  fact,  I 

*  She  Bubsequentlj  became  the  wife  of  Ferdinand  YIL 


232  EPISODES  OF  FBEITCH  HISTORY. 

became  more  ill  at  ease  than  ever ;  and  would  gladly 
have  flung  off  the  pressure  of  the  delicate  hand  which 
was  resting  on  my  arm,  and  made  my  escape  at  once. 
Little  did  those  who  envied  me  my  happiness  at  that 
moment  suspect  how  dearly  it  was  purchased ! 

Discretion,  as  1  well  knew,  was  not  one  of  the  virtues 
of  the  charming  Creole ;  and  I  feared  to  utter  a  word 
lest  she  should,  in  a  moment  of  excitement,  repeat  any 
remark  that  I  might  venture  to  make.  She  did  not, 
however,  appear  conscious  of  the  discourtesy  ;  but  con- 
tinued, after  the  pause  of  a  few  seconds,  to  enforce  upon 
me  that  she  had  ample  cause  for  her  forebodings,  and 
to  entreat  that  I  would  hide  nothing  from  her ;  above 
all,  she  desired  me  to  question  such  of  my  friends  as 
had  accompanied  the  Emperor  to  Erfurth,  immediately 
on  their  return  to  Paris.  Blinded  at  once  by  fear  and 
passion,  she  forgot  that  nothing  transpired  in  the  salons 
of  Napoleon  which  had  passed  in  his  private  cabinet ; 
but  she,  nevertheless,  evinced  wonderful  perspicacity 
in  her  selection  of  the  individuals  to  whom  she  desired 
me  to  address  myself  for  the  information  she  required. 
The  refusal  of  the  Emperor  to  allow  her  to  accompany 
him  to  Erfurth  had  mortified  her  beyond  measure,  as 
she  at  once  inferred  that  he  did  not  wish  her  to  be  seen 
by  Alexander ;  and  upon  this  point  she  dwelt  with  a 
pertinacity  which  convinced  me  that,  endeavor  as  she 
might  to  delude  herself,  the  fatal  truth  was  only  too 
apparent  to  her. 

A  few  days  after  this  painful  conversation.  I  w^as 
greatly  surprised  to  receive  an  invitation  from  Fouche 
to  breakfast  with  him  on  the  following  morning.  We 
had  never  been  on  terms  of  Jntimacy ;  I  went  to  his 


THB  DIVORCE.  233 

hoiise,  as  I  did  to  those  of  all  the  other  Ministers,  two 
or  three  times  during  the  year;  but  rather  in  my  official 
capacity  than  as  a  private  individual,  and  there  our 
acquaintance  terminated,  if  I  except  the  ceremonious 
courtesies  which  we  exchanged  when  we  met  in  public. 
An  invitation  to  breakfast  was  consequently  what  I  had 
never  anticipated,  implying  as  it  did  an  amount  of 
friendship  and  even  confidence,  which  had  never  existed 
between  us.  Nevertheless,  as  the  Duke  d'Otranto  was 
not  one  accustomed  to  meet  with  any  opposition  to  his 
will,  or  to  pardon  it  should  it  ever  occur,  I  was  careful 
to  present  myself  at  his  hotel  at  the  hour  indi- 
cated. 

The  party  was  a  small  one,  comprising  only  five  per- 
sons, including  Fouche  and  myself.  Satisfied  that  he 
had  some  motive  for  his  civility,  I  determined  to 
observe  the  greatest  caution,  and  neither  by  word  nor 
look  to  evince  any  consciousness  that  I  was  more  than 
a  commonplace  guest ;  while  on  his  side,  the  Minister 
avoided  all  political  subjects;  affected  to  be  in  high 
spirits  ;  and  throughout  the  repast  entertained  us  with 
anecdotes  of  his  adventures  during  the  period  when  he 
was  a  professor  at  the  College  of  JuUy. 

On  the  tei-mination  of  the  meal,  the  three  other  visi- 
tors took  their  leave  ;  and  it  was  not  without  some  mis- 
givings that  I  found  myself  alone  with  Fouche. 

"  M.  le  Marquis ;"  he  said  abruptly  and  in  a  low 
voice,  before  I  had  time  to  follow  their  example  ;  "  you 
are  attached  to  the  service  of  His  Majesty.  I  know 
what  he  may  expect  from  you,  and  the  career  which  he 
can  open  to  your  ambition.  You  have  now  an  oppor- 
tunity of  proving  your  devotion  to  his  person,  for  which 


234  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

I  am  prepared  to  assure  you  that  he  will  not  show  him- 
self ungrateful." 

I  bowed  in  reply;  and  the  astute  Police-Minister 
continued : — 

"  Doubtlessly  the  Emperor  himself,  and  consequently 
his  glory  and  the  future  prosperity  of  his  reign,  are 
dear  to  you  ? " 

"  I  trust,"  was  my  rejoinder ;  "  that  I  have  already 
convinced  His  Majesty  of  that  fact." 

"  I  am  well  aware  that  such  is  the  case,"  said  Fouche, 
with  as  courteous  a  smile  as  he  could  summon  to  his 
lips ;  "  and  it  is  therefore,  Monsieur,  that  I  now  address 
myself  to  you.  We  are  not  about  to  indulge  in  any 
child's  play  on  this  occasion ;  and  you  must  be  cautious. 
We  have  arrived  at  an  inevitable,  a  momentous,  and 
an  important  crisis ;  what  we  are  about  to  undertake 
might  have  been  awhile  delayed,  it  is  true,  but  it  should 
be  our  business  to  prevent  that  delay;  as  the  final 
result,  sooner  or  later,  must  be  the  same ;  that  result, 
M.  le  Marquis,  will  revolutionise  the  palace,  but  the 
interests  of  the  Emperor  and  the  Empire  alike  enforce 
it." 

It  was  not  the  habit  of  the  Duke  d'Otranto  to  over- 
lay his  meaning  with  words ;  and  I  had  necessarily 
little  difficulty,  as  I  listened  to  this  verbose  preface, 
in  deciding  that  he  found  considerable  difficulty  in 
approaching  the  real  subject-matter  of  his  communica- 
tion. I  would  not,  however,  afford  him  the  slightest 
assistance ;  I  simply  repeated  my  anxiety  to  be  useful 
to  my  sovereign,  and  to  prove  myself  worthy  of  his 
continued  confidence  ;  exhibited  no  anxiety  to  ascer- 
tain the  meaning  of  my  companion  ;  and  having  finally 


THE  DIVORCE.  235 

convinced  him  that  I  was  thoroughly  on  the  defensive, 
and  that  he  could  expect  no  help  from  me,  he  at  once 
determined  to  pass  the  Ruhicon. 

"  Monsieur,"  he  pursued  sententiously ;  "  our  institu- 
tions, our  relative  positions,  and  our  dignity  as  a  nation, 
are  all  attached  to  the  person,  and  depend  on  the  acts 
of  the  Emperor.  Should  he  die  to-day  all  that  he  has 
hitherto  effected  would  die  with  him ;  and  we  should 
only  walk  upon  the  fragments  of  the  ruin  in  which  he 
would  be  buried.  One  hope  of  escape  from  such  a 
fate  alone  is  left  to  us ;  Napoleon  must  live  again  in 
his  posterity  ;  he  must  contract  a  second  marriage,  an^ 
bequeathe  an  heir  to  the  throne  and  glory  of  France. 
Do  you  not  agree  with  me  ?  Answer  me  frankly — I 
have  acquired  the  right  to  demand  this  from  the  confi- 
dence which  I  have  evinced  in  you." 

Never  had  I  been  placed  in  so  onerous  a  position  ? 
Had  I  experienced  an  insult  I  could  have  resented  and 
avenged  it;  but  how  could  I  declare  between  the 
Emperor,  from  whom  I  had  never  experienced  any- 
thing save  kindness  and  consideration,  and  the  heart- 
broken Josephine,  who  had  so  recently  honored  me  by 
a  confidence  which,  painful  as  it  was,  appeared  to  me 
sacred  ?  I  saw  that  the  keen  and  cat-like  eye  of  Fouch6 
was  upon  me;  and  I  was  preparing  once  more  an 
evasive  reply,  when  he  impatiently  continued : — 

"  I  have  now  told  you,  M.  le  Marquis,  what  are  my 
own  feelings  upon  this  question  ;  and  I  beg  to  add  that 
they  are  also  those  of  the  Emperor.  The  divorce  is 
decided  on.  As  regards  youi-self  I  have,  therefore,  only 
to  say  that  His  Majesty  depends  upon  you  to  prepare 
the  Empress  for  this  painful  sacrifice.     She  will  ques- 


236  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

tion  you  on  the  subject — ^I  will  take  care  that  she  shall 
be  advised  to  do  so — I  have  already  dictated  your 
reply ;  and  you  have  consequently  only  to  remember 
that,  should  you  fail  to  obey  my  instructions,  you  will 
be  wanting  still  more  in  your  duty  to  your  Imperial 
master." 

As  I  still  hesitated  to  pledge  myself  to  so  ungracious 
a  task,  he  was  compelled  to  speak  even  more  openly ; 
and  I  became  at  length  so  perfectly  convinced  that  it 
was  indeed  the  will  of  Napoleon  that  I  should  take 
upon  myself  the  onerous  mission  which  was  thus  forced 
ppon  me,  that  I  had  eventually  no  alternative  save  to 
promise  the  Minister  that  I  would  comply  with  his 
orders. 

Fouche,  therefore,  having  assured  me  of  the  perfect 
confidence  with  which  he  relied  upon  the  pledge  that  I 
had  given,  threw  off  his  sententiousness,  and  conversed 
more  freely  ;  but  he  was,  nevertheless,  cautious  not  to 
allow  me.  to  suppose  that  the  new  Empress  had  been 
already  selected.  I  did  not,  however,  at  this  stage  of 
the  afi*air,  require  any  further  enlightenment.  I  re- 
membered what  had  occurred  at  Yienna,  when  I 
visited  that  capital  before  the  campaign  of  Austerlitz ; 
and  I  did  not  for  a  moment  doubt  that  Napoleon  had 
even  then  desired  an  alliance  with  the  house  of  Haps- 
burg. 

But  what  Austrian  princess  could  he  at  that  period 
have  married  ?  Marie-Louise  was  only  fourteen  years 
of  age  ;  when,  even  supposing  that  it  was  question  of 
her,  and  that  (in  1809)  Austria  had  proposed  to  bestow 
that  princess  upon  him,  it  had  required  no  less  than  two 
unsuccessful  wars  to  induce  the  concession.     What  a 


THE  DIVORCE.  237 

humiliating  page  in  the  life  of  a  descendant  of  Rodolph 
of  Ilapsburg,  and  in  the  history  of  the  proud  house  of 
Lorraine ! 

From  that  day  I  was  always  ill  at  ease  in  the  presence 
of  Josephine ;  and  when  I  found  myself,  as  would 
occasionally  occur,  almost  alone  with  her,  I  trembled 
lest  she  should  once  more  resume  the  fatal  subject 
whicli  was  now  ever  present  to  my  thoughts.  I  had 
been  warned  that  she  would  be  urged  to  question  me ; 
and  the  principal  business  of  my  life  had  now  become 
how  to  evade  her  confidence.  Never  in  my  life  had  I 
so  shrank  before  any  trial ;  but  I  knew  that,  present 
itself  when  it  might,  it  must  be  undergone,  as  I  dared 
not  provoke  the  distrust  of  so  formidable  an  enemy  as 
the  Duke  d'Otranto. 

Shrink  as  we  will,  however  ;  resolve  as  we  may ;  we 
are,  after  all,  the  slaves  of  circumstance  ;  and  not  even 
our  moral  cowardice  will  avail  us  when  our  work, 
whether  for  good  or  for  evil,  is  to  be  done  ;  and  so  it 
chanced  with  me.  I  had  exerted  all  my  diplomacy  ;  I 
had  exercised  all  my  ingenuity ;  and  I  had  begun  to 
believe  that  ray  agency  was  no  longer  considered  neces- 
sary ;  when  one  morning  a  virtuous  and  honorable  man, 
the  father  of  a  large  family,  and  for  whom  I  had  long 
felt  a  sincere  esteem,  called  upon  me  to  ask  my  assist- 
ance. Unforeseen  difficulties  had  multiplied  upon  him ; 
and  at  length,  seeing  his  children  perishing  for  want, 
he  had  resolved  to  confide  his  misery  to  my  friendly 
sympathy.  My  first  impulse  was  naturally  to  open  my 
desk. 

"  Close  it  again  ;"  he  said,  sinking  upon  a  seat ;  "  we 
have  been  friends  for  years.     I  cannot  borrow  what  I 


238  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

may  never  perchance  be  able  to  repay,  and  thus  lose 
both  your  regard  and  my  own  self-respect.  I  am  here 
simply  to  request  that  you  will  present  this  petition  to 
the  Empress.  I  am  not  unknown  to  her,  and  she  will 
feel  for  me." 

Poor  fellow  !  had  he  only  known  with  what  gratitude 
I  should  have  seen  him  accept  all  that  I  was  enabled  to 
offer,  and  to  exempt  me  from  the  trial  to  which  I  in- 
tuitively felt  that  I  was  about  to  be  exposed,  he  would 
have  returned  to  his  squalid  home  a  happier  and  a  richer 
man  ;  but  as  I  could  not  explain  to  him  how  I  was  cir- 
cumstanced, and  dared  not  incur  the  risk  of  being  sus- 
pected of  a  want  of  sympathy  in  his  misfortunes,  I 
pledged  myself  to  present  the  petition ;  and  I  accord- 
ingly lost  no  time  after  he  had  left  me  in  requesting  of 
Madame  de  la  Rochefoucauld  that  she  would  solicit  for 
me  the  favor  of  an  audience.  This  I  could  have  ob- 
tained without  her  intermission  ;  but,  aware  of  the  sus- 
ceptibility of  the  lady,  and  quite  unsuspicious  of  the 
treachery  and  ingratitude  which  she  would  ultimately 
exhibit  towards  her  indulgent  and  unhappy  mistress,  I 
considered  it  more  courteous  not  to  ignore  her  official 
privileges. 

The  desired  audience  was  accorded  for  the  following 
day  ;  but  when  I  entered  the  presence  of  the  Empress, 
gracious  as  she  was,  I  could  not  rally  my  spirits.  I  felt 
that  the  hour  of  trial  was  come  at  last.  I  presented  the 
petition,  strengthening  as  well  as  I  could,  the  entreaties 
of  the  supplicant ;  and  as  no  one  ever  applied  to  Jose- 
phine in  vain,  I  soon  found  myself  in  possession  of  a 
considerable  sum  in  trust  for  my  poor  friend. 

"  You  understand,  M.  le  Marquis ;"  said  the  gracious 


THE  DIVORCE.  239 

donor  in  a  faltering  voice — for  she  had  not  been  able 
to  read  the  sad  statement  of  his  sufferings  without  emo- 
tion— "  that  this  is  intended  as  a  mere  temporary  assist- 
ance for  the  unfortunate  gentleman.  I  will,  to-morrow, 
apply  to  the  War  Minister,  as  he  must  be  permanently 
provided  for." 

I  need  scarcely  say  that  she  redeemed  her  pledge  ; 
and  that  the  petitioner  soon  found  himself  in  possession 
of  a  good  place  under  government. 

Delighted  at  my  success  I  was  impatiently  awaiting  my 
dismissal,  when,  to  my  great  discomfiture,  I  discovered 
that  Josephine  had  no  intention  of  allowing  me  to  with- 
draw. On  the  contrary,  she  conversed  with  me  on  the 
commonplace  topics  of  the  day ;  digressed  to  the  gossip 
of  the  court ;  and  finally,  by  an  easy  transition,  arrived 
at  the  dreaded  subject. 

"  Well ;"  she  said  ;  "  and  now  tell  me,  M.  le  Marquis, 
what  do  you  know  about  the  marriage  of  the  Emperor  ?" 

"  A  great  deal,  and  yet  in  point  of  fact,  veiy  little, 
Madame ;"  was  my  constrained  reply ;  "  people  talk 
promiscuously  of  one  of  His  Majesty's  nieces,  of  the 
Queen  of  Etruria,  of  the  sister  of  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander, and  of  the  daughter  of  the  Emperor  of  Ger- 
many." 

"  Ha !"  she  exclaimed,  drawing  a  long  breath,  as 
though  she  had  received  a  second  blow — "  Ha  1  they 
talk  of  all  these  !  His  niece  ?  No,  no ;  Kapoleon  re- 
spects himself  too  much  to  marry  so  near  a  relative. 
The  Queen  of  Etruria !  Well,  well ;  we  will  say  no 
more  of  her — we  have  only  to  remember  how  jealous 
the  Emperor  has  shown  himself  since  his  accession,  of 
the  honor  of  his  court,  to  be  satisfied  that  Marie  Louise 


240  EPISODES  OF   FKENCH  HISTORY. 

of  Spain  will  never  sliare  liis  throne.  Would  that  I 
could  feel  as  happy  with  regard  to  the  two  others — " 
And  burying  her  face  in  the  cushions  of  the  sofa  upon 
which  she  sat,  she  gave  free  course  to  her  tears.  Sud- 
denly she  raised  her  head,  and  sweeping  aside  her  dis- 
ordered ringlets,  she  said  with  flashing  eyes :  *'  So  then, 
no  one  appears  to  object  to  this  divorce  ?  No  one 
cares  to  remember  that  the  little  good  which  it  has 
been  in  my  power  to  do  I  have  done  ?" 

"  Nothing  is  so  common  as  ingratitude,  Madame ;"  I 
replied  in  a  low  voice,  deeply  moved  by  the  sight  of 
her  emotion. 

"  And  you.  Monsieur — you  who  know  me  as  I  am — 
the  woman  as  well  as  the  Empress — what  think  you  of 
the  justice  of  the  fate  which  awaits  me  ?" 

"  In  the  presence  of  my  Empress  ;"  was  my  troubled 
rejoinder  ;  "  I  can  only  express  my  perfect  devotion  to 
her  cause." 

"  I  understand  you,  Monsieur  ;"  said  Josephine  ;  "  I 
have  breathed  the  atmosphere  of  a  court  long  enough 
to  appreciate  the  evasions  which  reply  to  a  simple 
question  by  empty  flattery.  In  my  absence  you  adopt 
the  opinion  of  the  Emperor." 

"  Madame  ;"  I  retorted  respectfully,  but  resolutely ; 
"  why  should  you  do  me  such  injustice  ?  Do  I  seek  to 
injure  Your  Majesty  when  I  am  compelled  to  concede 
that  the  fnost  stringent  interests  of  the  Emperor  compel 
him  to  establish  his  power  upon  a  solid  foundation  ? 
Keflect,  Madame,  I  beseech  you,  in  justice  to  your  au- 
gust husband,  and  even  in  justice  to  myself,  since  you 
have  done  me  the  honor  to  confer  with  me  upon  this 
painful  topic,  that  tlie  Emperor  of  the  French,  great 


THE  DIVORCE.  241 

and  powerful  as  he  is,  stands  alone.  He  created  the 
empire,  wliich  lias  conReqnently  no  antecedents;  and 
should  he  leave  no  natural  and  legitimate  successor,  it 
must  crumble  into  dust.  An  hereditary  monarchy  has 
a  hold  upon  a  nation,  but  in  his  case  this  has  still  to  bo 
secured.  Suffer  me  to  convince  you  that  it  is  this  con- 
viction alone  which  has  driven  His  Majesty  to  dream 
of  a  second  marriage.  You  have  possessed  his  heart ; 
the  Empire  demands  his  support ;  and  although  I  entreat 
you  to  believe,  Madame,  that  if  my  single  voice  could 
keep  you  on  the  throne  for  ever,  France  would  never 
know  another  mistress,  I  am  unfortunately  alone  amid 
a  crowd  of  councillors  who  urge  far  different  views 
upon  the  Emperor.  It  is  for  France  that  they  demand 
the  sacrifice  of  his  dearest  and  most  cherished  affections ; 
and  Your  Majesty  well  knows  what  it  is  to  appeal  to 
I^apoleon  in  the  name  of  France ! — of  the  country 
which  he  has  rescued  from  anarchy,  and  made  the  law- 
giver of  Europe  !  "While  /  think  only  of  Your  Majesty, 
they  refuse  to  recognise  the  claim  of  the  woman,  and 
look  only  to  the  duty  of  the  Empress ;  and  thus,  Ma- 
dame, confining  themselves  to  merely  political  consi- 
derations, they  declare  that  you  would  immortalise 
yourself  did  you  possess  suflicient  moral  courage  to 
sacrifice  your  personal  affections  to  the  glory  of  the 
Empire." 

Poor  Josephine,  whose  sobs  rendered  her  unable  to 
reply,  dismissed  me  by  a  gesture ;  and  as  I  left  the 
room,  I  saw  her  fall  back  upon  her  cushions  in  an 
agony  of  grief. 

So  ended  one  of  the  most  painful  hours  of  my  life  ; 
and  most  thankful  did  I   subsequently  feel  that  she 

11 


242  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

never  again  alluded  to  the  subject  in  my  presence. 
"When  I  informed  Fouclie  of  what  had  passed  between 
the  Empress  and  myself;  ''  So  far,  so  good  ;"  he  replied 
(and  I  repeat  his  words  verbatim),  "  another  turn  of  the 
wheel,  and  we  shall  have  a  colony  of  little  ^N'apo- 
leons?" 

When,  as  we  have  shown,  the  most  confidential 
friends  of  the  poor  victim  of  a  selfish  policy  in  their 
turn  abandoned  her  cause,  it  is  needless  to  say  that 
the  adherents  of  l^Tapoleon  himself  had  no  sympathy  to 
waste  upon  her  sorrows.  The  stability  of  the  Imperial 
dynasty  was  their  own  corner-stone  of  prosperity  ;  and 
the  higher  and  holier  feelings  of  human  nature  have 
nothing  in  common  with  hollow  vanity  and  grasping 
ambition.  But  however  such  might  be  the  case  with 
those  about  him,  and  however  lightly  they  might 
overlook  the  means  in  their  anxiety  to  secure  the  end, 
the  Emperor  was  very  far  from  being  equally  at  his 
ease.  It  is  true  that  the  question  of  the  divorce  was 
settled,  but  the  new  bride  was  not  yet  secured ;  and 
the  man  who  aspired  to  sovereign  rule  over  all  the  con- 
tinental nations  had  already  been  taught  to  understand 
that,  however  he  might  by  his  arms  have  cowed  the 
crowned  heads  which  even  yet  reluctantly  admitted 
his  fellowship,  they  were  still  far  from  considering  him  as 
one  of  themselves,  and  treating  with  him  on  such  a  pro- 
ject as  that  which  he  now  meditated  upon  equal  terms. 

On  one  occasion,  when  he  was  closeted  with  Reg- 
neaud  de  Saint-John-d'Angely,  at  Fontainebleau,  where 
they  were  discussing  some  important  public  measures 
requiring  the  closest  and  most  careful  consideration, 
Napoleon,  absent,  restless,  and    gloomy — pacing  the 


THE  DIVORCE.  243 

room  from  end  to  end,  occasionally  opening  and  shut- 
ting his  snufF-box,  and  from  time  to  time  cutting  away 
a  fragment  of  the  chair  or  table  beside  which  he 
chanced  to  be  passing  at  the  moment,  with  his  pen- 
knife— suddenly  paused,  and  addressing  his  quasi- 
Minister,  who  was,  moreover,  possessed  of  his  entire 
confidence,  he  said,  impatiently  : — 

"  Enough.  Do  not  pursue  the  subject,  for  I  have 
not  for  the  last  five  minutes  heard  a  single  sentence 
that  you  have  uttered ;  and  it  is  not  my  custom  to 
decide  on  important  matters  without  a  clear  compre- 
hension of  their  nature.  Lock  up  your  papers  until 
to-morrow,  and  we  will  discuss  a  more  serious  subject. 
Count,  I  must  marry." 

'*  Marry,  Sire  I"  echoed  his  companion  ;  "  why,  are 
you  not  married  ?" 

"  To  the  satisfaction  of  my  own  heart,  I  am  so  ;"  was 
the  reply ;  "  but  as  regards  the  happiness  of  France, 
Buch  is  not  the  case.  I  cannot  bequeathe  my  crown  to 
one  of  the  collateral  branches  of  my  family.  The 
Empire  would  not  accept  one  of  my  brothers,  or  even 
Murat  as  my  successor ;  and  not  twenty  of  my  gene- 
rals would  consent  to  acknowledge  Eugene,  although  I 
have  publicly  adopted  him.  I  cannot  contemplate 
without  a  shudder  the  intestinal  convulsion  which  my 
death,  under  such  circumstances,  would  be  sure  to 
cause ;  and  the  evil  must  be  remedied  while  there  is 
yet  time.  A  son  of  my  own  would  consolidate  my 
power  ;  rally  all  parties ;  reconcile  all  opinions.  No 
one  could  contest  his  right  to  reign  ;  and  I  should  die 
assured  that  the  prosperity  of  France  would  not  be 
endangered." 


244  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

"  It  is  undeniable,  Sire ;"  said  Count  Regneaud ; 
"  that  a  numerous  posterity  invariably  gives  stability  to 
every  throne." 

"  All  Europe  thinks  as  you  do,  Monsieur  /"  was  the 
complacent  rejoinder ;  "  not  a  day  passes  but  my 
divorce  is  a  subject  of  conversation.  As  regards  the 
divorce  itself,  nothing  can  be  more  easily  accomplished. 
My  will  is  law;  and  none  will  dare  to  dispute  it. 
Both  civil  and  religious  obstacles  must  yield  to  reasons 
of  State.  But  will  my  second  marriage  be  as  readily 
arranged?  There  are,  upon  this  question,  two  indi- 
viduals to  be  consulted — the  one  who  makes  the  claim, 
and  the  other  w^io  admits  it." 

''The  Emperor  of  the  French;"  said  Saint-Jean- 
d'Angely  with  a  quiet  smile ;  "  need  be  under  no  appre- 
hension that  any  mother,  be  her  rank  what  it  may,  will 
refuse  to  him  the  hand  of  her  daughter." 

''  You  are  in  error ;"  gravely  replied  Napoleon  ;  ''  for 
me  there  are  but  two  suitable  alliances — but  two  Prin- 
cesses with  whom  I  feel  disposed  to  share  my  throne. 
One  of  these  has  already  been  offered  to  me ;  but,  as 
regards  the  second,  I  have  met  with  a  vexatious  resist- 
ance on  the  part  of  the  mother.  You  look  astonished  ; 
and  yet  it  is  even  as  I  say.  When  I  was  at  Vienna — 
at  Schoenbrunn — the  Prince  von  Lichtenstein  waited 
upon  me  to  assure  me  of  his  loyalty  and  attachment. 
He  is  a  man  of  sound  sense  and  ripe  judgment — a 
profound  diplomatist,  but  withal  thoroughly  honest. 
He  is  warmly  attached  to  the  House  of  Hapsbourg,  but 
he  still  admitted  without  hesitation  to  me  that  I  had 
raised  myself  far  above  all  the  other  monarchs  of 
Europe ;  and  that  no  continental  nation  could  dispute 


THE  DIVORCE.  245 

my  supremacy.  *  Nevertheless,  Sire ;'  he  added  ;  *  your 
power,  immense  as  it  is  is  fragile.  You  have  no  heir 
to  your  greatness.' 

"  True,  prince ;"  I  retorted  ;  "  my  present  marriage 
might  be  annulled,  for  I  will  not  affect  to  misunder- 
stand your  meaning  ;  but  even  were  it  so,  where  should 
I  find  a  woman  of  sufficient  rank  to  succeed  the  present 
Empress  ?" 

"  '  Sire ;'  he  said,  without  the  hesitation  of  a  moment ; 
*  Pompey,  by  merely  stamping  upon  the  earth,  could 
call  up  legions ;  and  a  single  word  from  Your  Imperial 
Majesty  would  equally  suffice  to  secure  to  you  such  a 
wife  as  would  be  worthy  to  share  your  throne.' 

"  Courteous,  but  idle  words,  prince ;"  1  replied ; 
"except  in  one  case.  Am  I  to  understand  that  you 
have  any  proposition  to  make  to  me  ?" 

"  '  Sire,  I  am  authorised  to  declare  that  no  request  of 
Your  Majesty  would  be  refused ;'  was  his  rejoinder — 
At  that  moment,"  pursued  Napoleon ;  "  I  was  standing 
opposite  the  tine  portrait  of  the  Archduchess  Marie 
Louise  which  hangs  in  the  great  saloon  of  Sclioenbrunn  ; 
and  instinctively  I  raised  my  eyes  to  the  picture.  It 
was  full  of  grace,  sweetness,  and  modesty ;  and  my 
resolution  was  taken  at  once.  I  changed  the  subject  of 
conversation,  and  my  visitor  took  his  leave.  Peace  was 
concluded  upon  less  stringent  terms  than  I  had  previ- 
ously contemplated  ;  and  I  returned  to  Paris.  One  of 
my  ministers  had,  meanwhile — convinced  that  the  wel- 
fare of  France  depended  upon  my  forming  a  second 
marriage — been  at  work  yonder — in  the  far  north — " 
Napoleon  spoke  slowly  and  bitterly  ;  "  and  what  think 
yon  was  the  result  ?     I  will  tell  you — a  refusal — ^yes. 


246  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Monsieur,  a  refusal !  To  me.  I  could  not  believe  the 
fact ;  and  I  determined  to  have  a  frank  explanation 
with  the  Czar.  His  reply  was  full  of  protestations  of 
attachment  to  my  person,  of  admiration,  and  of  friend- 
ship; words,  in  short — words — but  through  all  this 
verbiage  I  detected  that  he  was  acting  under  the  inso- 
lent authority  of  his  mother,  and  would  not  have  been 
sorry  to  replace  his  sister  by  his  own  daughter.  I  was 
not  his  dupe,  and  I  told  him  so  ;  upon  which  Kourakin 
wrote  to  assure  me  that  I  had  misinterpreted  the 
expressions  of  Alexander ;  who,  although  he  had  cer- 
tainly acknowledged  the  repugnance  of  his  mother  to 
the  alliance,  by  no  means  felt  himself  bound  to  yield 
to  it ;  and  that  consequently,  if  I  would  accord  to  the 
Grand  Duchess  the  free  exercise  of  her  religion,  there 
would  be  no  further  obstacle  to  our  marriage." 

"  In  that  case.  Sire ; "  exclaimed  the  Count ;  "  I  do 
not  see  that  you  could  form  a  more  eligible  alliance." 

"  It  was  a  snare.  Monsieur  ;"  frowned  the  Emperor ; 
"  Were  Alexander  to  accept  a  princess  of  my  blood, 
would  he  not  compel  her  to  join  the  Greek  Church  ?  Is 
not  my  crown  at  least  as  glorious  as  his  own  ?  As  to 
the  faith  professed  by  my  wife,  I  confess  that  I  should 
personally  care  little  upon  the  subject,  but  the  dignity 
of  the  Empire  requires  that  she  should  be  a  Catholic. 
They  know  this  in  Russia,  and  they  thus  veiled  a  reso- 
lute refusal  under  a  religious  scruple.  However,  the 
Gordian  knot  must  be  cut.  To-morrow  a  privy  council 
will  be  held  ;  you  will  attend ;  and  I  trust,  that  when 
the  question  is  discussed,  as  you  know  my  wishes,  you 
will  act  accordingly." 

Tlie  council  to  which  Kapoleon  alluded  was  followed 


THE  DIVORCE.  247 

by  several  others,  in  which  the  same  subject  was  de- 
bated; and  where  Saint- Jean-d'Angely  amply  justified 
the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  Emperor.  Cam- 
bac6re8  vehemently  opposed  the  idea  of  an  Austrian 
alliance,  but  he  stood  alone ;  and  finally  Napoleon  con- 
vened the  council,  satisfied  that  he  should  be  enabled 
to  overbear  all  obstacles. 

While  these  solemn  conferences  were  taking  place  at 
Fontainebleau  all  was  silence  and  sadness  at  the  Tuile- 
ries ;  where  Josephine,  suspicious  of  the  truth,  but  as 
yet  uncertain  as  to  her  fate,  spent  the  long  weary  time 
in  teai-s. 

She  was  one  day  thus  mournfully  occupied  when,  at 
an  earlier  hour  tlian  the  etiquette  of  the  court  pre- 
scribed for  visitors,  the  Comtesse  de  la  Rochefoucauld 
entered  her  private  apartment  with  more  than  her 
habitual  solemnity  of  bearing,  and  announced  to  the 
Empress  that  the  Duke  d'Otranto  solicited  an  audience. 
At  the  hated  name  of  Fouche,  Josephine  shuddered, 
and  her  first  impulse  was  to  refuse  to  receive  him; 
but  fearing,  as  was  actually  the  case,  that  he  bore  a 
message  from  the  Emperor,  she  recalled  her  order  of 
dismissal,  and  desired  her  lady-in-waiting  to  admit  him. 

Never  had  the  Duke  d'Otranto  approached  his  Im- 
perial mistress  with  so  much  humility ;  never  had  he 
appeared  so  submissive,  or  so  devoted.  Quite  aware 
that  she  was  peculiarly  vulnerable  to  flattery,  he  dilated 
on  her  grace,  her  goodness,  and  her  numerous  virtues ; 
and  declared  his  conviction  of  the  perfect  happiness  for 
which  the  Emperor  was  indebted  to  her  affection  ;  then 
suddenly,  as  he  saw  the  glow  of  gratified  feeling  suffuse 
the  brow  and  bosom  of  his  victim,  and  the  gleam  of 


248  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

/eawakened  hope  flash  from  her  eyes,  he  exclaimed 
reproachfully : —  ' 

"  And  such  being  the  case,  why,  Madame,  I  would 
venture  to  ask,  have  you  voluntarily  renounced  the 
exercise  of  so  proud,  so  noble  a  prerogative  as  that  of 
lightening  by  your  attachment  and  tenderness  the  cares 
of  your  august  husband ;  and  of  embellishing  by  your 
presence  the  court  of  which  you  are  the  brightest 
ornament  ? " 

"  I,  Monsieur ! "  said  Josephine,  startled  into  renewed 
apprehension ;  "  I  renounce  nothing — nothing — remem- 
ber this — at  least — "  she  added  after  an  instant's  pause, 
— "  at  least  voluntarily." 

"  I  thought  I  had  heard — "  softly  rejoined  the  astute 
Police-Minister ;  "  Indeed  I  was  told — I  must  have 
misunderstood — " 

"  Misunderstood  w^hat  ? "  asked  the  Empress  ;  "  Ex- 
plain yourself,  Monsieur.  What  is  the  meaning  of  your 
extraordinary  manner?" 

"Madame;"  said  Fouche;  "  since  you  desire  to  know 
my  meaning,  I  am  bound  to  inform  you  that  certain 
individuals  who  are  honored  by  the  confidence  of 
Your  Majesty,  have  assured  me  that, — thoroughly  com- 
prehending the  necessity  which  there  exists  that  the 
Emperor,  for  his  own  happiness  and  that  of  the  nation, 
should  have  a  son  to  whom  he  may  bequeathe  his  crown 
— ^you  had  resolved  yourself  to  solicit  a  divorce.  The 
report  has  spread  throughout  Paris  ;  and  it  has  already 
received  the  public  sanction,  even  while  it  caused  the 
most  painful  regret  to  blend  with  the  enthusiastic  ad- 
miration of  a  grateful  people." 

"  Enough,  Monsieur  le  Due ;"  said  the  Empress  with 


THE  DIVORCE.  249 

dignity ;  "  and  now  I  would  be  informed  for  niv  future 
guidance,  wliether  the  Emperor  commissioned  you  to 
deal  me  tins  death-blow,  or  if  you  have  gratuitously 
volunteered  the  barbarity  which  you  are  now  perpetrat- 
ing? For  once  in  your  life  I  expect  that  you  will 
Bpeak  frankly.  Tell  me  the  truth  therefore,  Monsieur, 
if  you  can  do  so  without  suffering  too  acutely  from  the 
effort." 

"  Since  Your  Majesty  is  pleased  to  resent  my  zeal  so 
cruelly ;"  replied  Fouche ;  "  I  admit  that  I  have  re- 
ceived no  direct  mission  from  the  Emperor ;  but  I  know 
his  sentiments,  the  tenderness  which  he  feels  for  your 
pereon,  and  the  anguish  he  will  experience  in  wounding 
your  heart." 

"  Once  more  I  say  enough.  Monsieur  V^  exclaimed 
Josephine,  revolted  by  his  duplicity  ;  "  I  can  bear  from 
him  what  I  will  not  endure  from  your  lips.  I  must  re- 
quest that  you  will  retire.'" 

The  duke,  affecting  to  be  overwhelmed  by  the  anger 
of  the  soul-stricken  woman  whom  he  had  so  mercilessly 
tortured,  obeyed  with  a  profound  salutation  ;  and,  de- 
lighted to  have  broken  the  ice  v,'ithout  committing  the 
Emperor,  he  hastened  to  Fontainebleau  to  report  the 
result  of  his  audience. 

Almost  overwhelmed  by  the  constantly  recurring 
mortifications  to  which  she  was  suddenly  subjected,  the 
unfortunate  Empress  resolved  to  terminate  all  further 
suspense  by  having  that  very  evening  an  explanation 
with  Napoleon. 

It  was  in  vain  that  her  daughter  had  assured  her 
three  days  previously  that  the  divorce  was  openly  dis- 
cussed by  the  courtiers ;  and  that  she  had  even  heard 

11* 


250  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTORY. 

it  alluded  to  by  the  Emperor  himself ;  Josephine  refused 
to  believe  in  the  reality  of  her  misfortune.  She  min- 
gled her  tears  with  those  of  Hortense,  but  in  her  case 
they  were  the  tears  of  exhaustion  and  of  bitterness — 
not  tliose  of  conviction.  She  spread  before  her  the  let- 
ters she  had  received  in  the  first  years  of  her  marriage  ; 
many  of  which,  were  they  not  well  authenticated,  might 
from  their  extravagance  of  expression  be  deemed  apo- 
cryphal when  we  consider  the  hand  by  which  they 
were  written  ;  and  as  her  eye  ran  over  each,  she  con- 
stantly repeated : — 

"  Ko,  no ;  it  is  impossible.  See  how  he  loved 
me!" 

By  a  singular  chance  the  Imperial  couple  were  to 
dine  that  day  en  tUe-d-tUe,  and  Josephine  resolved  to 
profit  by  so  rare  a  circumstance  ;  for  Kapoleon  had  lat- 
terly become  anxious  to  avoid  finding  himself  alone 
with  the  woman  whom  he  was  about  to  immolate  to  his 
ambition,  and  was  careful  that  either  his  mother.  Queen 
Hortense,  or  the  Princess  Borghese  should  at  least  be 
present  when  he  received  no  other  guests. 

As  the  dinner  was  announced,  their  Majesties  seated 
themselves  in  silence.  The  Empress  wore  a  large  white 
bonnet  tied  under  the  chin,  which  partially  covered 
her  face  ;  but  she  could  not  succeed  in  concealing  from 
the  attendants  that  her  eyes  were  red  and  swollen  with 
weeping,  and  that  she  had  still  great  difiSculty  in  re- 
straining her  tears.  Kot  a  sound  was  heard  throughout 
the  repast  until  ]N"apoleon,  addressing  himself  to  Beaus- 
set,  his  maitre-d'hdtel^  inquired  if  the  day  was  fine. 
Neither  the  one  nor  the  other  did  more  than  taste  the 
djshes  which  were  succeseively  presented  to  them  ;  and 


THE  DIVORCE.  251 

the  moment  the  service  ceased  the  Emperor  rose  from 
the  table,  and  was  slowly  followed  by  Josephine. 

When  coffee  was  served,  Napoleon,  contrary  to  his 
usual  habit,  which  was  to  receive  it  from  the  Empress 
after  she  had  sweetened  it  to  his  taste,  took  it  himself 
from  the  salver,  and  by  a  gesture  dismissed  tlie  page 
on  duty.  As  a  natural  consequence  all  the  other  atten- 
dants retired  likewise,  but  contented  themselves  by 
passing  into  tlie  adjoining  apartment,  where  they  were 
soon  absorbed  in  whispered  comments  upon  the  scene 
w^hich  they  had  just  witnessed.  Suddenly  the  shrieks 
of  Josephine  were  heard  from  the  saloon,  and  the  usher 
of  the  presence  was  about  to  throw  open  the  door,  when 
he  was  held  back  by  the  prefect  of  the  palace,  who  ob- 
served that  should  the  Emperor  require  assistance  he 
would,  as  a  matter  of  course,  summon  them  to  his  aid. 
An  instant  afterwards  Napoleon  appeared,  and  looking 
around  him,  said  in  an  excited  tone : — 

"  Enter,  Beausset,  and  close  the  door  behind  you." 

As  the  prefect  obeyed,  he  perceived  Josephine  ex- 
tended on  the  carpet,  weeping  violently,  and  at  inter- 
vals exclaiming : 

"  No ! — it  is  my  deatli-warrant ;  I  shall  never  survive 
it." 

"Monsieur,  are  you  strong  enough  to  raise  the 
Empress,  and  to  carry  her  by  the  private  staircase  to 
her  apartment?"  asked  Napoleon:  "she  requires  the 
care  of  her  women  without  loss  of  time." 

Surprised  at  so  extraordinary  a  command,  Beausset 
approached  his  Imperial  Mistress,  and  raising  her 
gently  from  the  floor  with  the  assistance  of  the  Empe- 
ror, took  her  in  his  arms ;  and,  preceded  by  Napoleon 


252  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

carrying  a  flambeau,  traversed  a  dark  passage  that  led 
to  the  staircase  by  which  he  had  been  ordered  to  de- 
scend. On  reaching  the  first  step  he  discovered,  how- 
ever, that  it  was  too  narrow  to  admit  the  Empress  in 
the  position  in  which  he  held  her,  w^ithout  risking  an 
accident;  when  Napoleon  immediately  summoned  a 
secretary  w^lio  was  in  waiting  at  one  of  the  doors  of  his 
private  cabinet  which  opened  on  the  landing,  and 
giving  him  the  light,  desired  him  to  go  first,  while  he 
himself  supported  her  legs  on  his  arm,  and  the  party 
cautiously  moved  forward  until  they  reached  the 
chamber  of  Josephine,  where  they  laid  her  upon  a 
couch  ;  this  done,  IS^apoleon,  seizing  the  bell-rope,  rang 
violently  until  the  entrance  of  her  attendants,  when  he 
immediately  withdrew  into  the  ante-room,  follow^ed 
by  Beausset.  His  agitation  was  excessive ;  and  so 
thoroughly  was  he  unnerved  by  what  had  occurred, 
that  disregarding  the  fact  that  the  prefect  was  not  pre- 
cisely the  confidant  he  would  have  chosen  in  a  calmer 
moment,  he  exclaimed : 

"  The  interests  of  France  and  of  my  dynasty  have 
forced  a  painful  duty  on  me.  Monsieur.  The  divorce 
which  causes  so  much  suffering  to  the  Empress  cannot 
be  avoided.  I  was  not  prepared  for  the  trial  which  I 
have  just  undergone,  as  the  Queen  of  Holland  at  my 
request  explained  to  her  three  days  since  the  melan- 
choly necessity  of  the  step  which  I  am  about  to  take.  I 
pity  her  with  all  my  heart ;  but  I  thought  she  had  more 
strength  of  mind,  and  would  have  striven  against  the 
exhibition  of  a  grief  which  can,  unfortunately,  avail 
her  nothing." 

Then,  after  the  silence  of  a  few  seconds,  he  said  abruptly ; 


THE  DIVORCE.  253 

"  Send  without  loss  of  time  for  Corvisart,  Queen 
Hortense,  Cambac6res,  and  Fouch6.  Be  silent  as  to 
what  has  occurred  ;  and  I  will  meanwhile  assure  myself 
of  the  condition  of  the  Empress." 

So  saying,  he  returned  to  the  chamber  of  Josephine, 
while  Beausset  hastened  to  perform  his  mission ;  and, 
upon  re-entering  the  saloon  to  reclaim  his  hat,  which 
he  had  flung  upon  the  floor  when  he  raised  the  Empress, 
he  informed  the  pages  and  ushers  that  Her  Imperial 
Majesty  had  been  seized  with  so  violent  a  nervous 
attack,  that  it  had  created  the  greatest  alarm  in  those 
by  whom  it  was  witnessed. 

Napoleon  was  in  error  when  believing  that  Hortense 
had  communicated  the  cruel  intelligence  with  which  he 
had  entrusted  her,  in  the  decided  terms  in  which  he 
had  made  it  known  to  herself.  Tlie  task  was  too  difii- 
cult ;.  the  heart  of  the  daughter  revolted  at  the  duty- 
imposed  upon  her ;  she  had  done  all  that  she  had  moral 
strength  to  do ;  more,  far  more,  than  she  had  believed 
she  should  have  found  courage  to  undertake  ;  and  then, 
half-wild  with  sorrow  and  with  apprehension,  she  wrote 
to  her  brother  Eugene,  entreating  him  to  hasten  to 
Paris  to  support  and  comfort  their  heart-stricken  mother. 
But  even  this  appeal  was  vain  ;  for  it  was  not  until  he 
received  an  official  telegraphic  summons  that  the  Yice- 
roy  of  Italy  felt  himself  at  liberty  to  proceed  to  Paris. 
There  he  alighted  at  the  residence  of  his  sister,  who, 
throwing  herself  into  his  arms  in  an  agony  of  grief, 
told  him  that  he  had  arrived  too  late,  for  that  the 
divorce  was  formally  decided. 

The  meeting  between  the  mother  and  her  son  was 
agonising  to  both.     Josephine  had  hoped  so  much  from 


254  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

his  influence ;  from  the  aiFection  which  Napoleon  had 
displayed  towards  him  in  his  official  adoption ;  from  the 
services  which  he  had  rendered  to  France ;  from  his 
gallantry  in  the  field  ;  and  from  his  uncontested  popu- 
larity ;  while  Eugene,  on  his  side,  devotedly  attached 
to  his  sole  surviving  parent,  had  believed  that  when 
the  fatal  moment  drew  near,  the  Emperor  would  find  it 
impossible  to  separate  himself  from  her  for  ever.  In 
liis  admiration  of  the  General  whom  he  had  been 
desirous  to  emulate,  he  had  forgotten  that  a  man  may 
possess  every  quality  calculated  to  secure  public  admi- 
ration, and  yet  be  destitute  of  a  heart. 

While  these  painful  scenes  were  passing  at  the 
Tuileries,  the  political  position  of  IN'apoleon  was  most 
brilliant.  The  successes  of  the  last  Austrian  campaign 
had  consolidated  (as  it  was  anticipated,  for  many  years 
to  come)  the  new  league,  known  as  the  Confederation 
of  the  Rhine.  The  newly-created  Sovereigns  deemed 
the  crisis  a  favorable  one  for  oflfering  their  homage  to 
their  suzerain ;  and  accordingly,  unconscious  of  the 
domestic  misery  of  the  Imperial  family,  they  hastened 
to  assemble  in  Paris.  As  it  was  impossible  to  avoid 
receiving  these  illustrious  guests,  Josephine  was  com- 
pelled to  struggle  against  her  despair,  and  to  assume  an 
appearance  of  dignified  composure  very  foreign  to  her 
real'  feelings  ;  a  sacrifice  enhanced  by  the  consciousness 
that,  being  unsuspected,  it  could  elicit  no  sympathy. 

The  magnificence  of  the  fetes  given  in  Paris  to  the 
royal  visitors  was  almost  fabulous,  but  we  will  particu- 
larly allude  only  to  one — the  last  at  which  the  unhappy 
Josephine  appeared  in  public  as  Empress  of  the  French. 
Napoleon  had  preserved  the  habit  of  accepting  a  fi^te 


THE  DIVORCE.  255 

at  the  Hotel-de-Ville  on  each  annivereary  of  the  battle 
of  Ansterlitz,  which  was  also  that  of  his  coronation ; 
and  on  the  present  occasion,  the  city  of  Paris,  in  honor 
of  the  foreign  sovereigns,  caused  the  concert  and  ball 
which  had  hitherto  comprised  the  entertainment,  to  be 
preceded  by  a  sumptuous  banquet. 

Tlie  Emperor  was  attired  with  unwonted  splendor  in 
purple  velvet,  over  which  was  thrown  the  Imperial 
mantle  embroidered  with  golden  bees,  and  lined  wuth 
ermine,  while  his  hat,  a  la  Henri  IV.,  was  nearly 
covered  by  a  chain  composed  of  the  finest  diamonds  of 
the  crown,  with  the  exception  of  the  regent,  which  deco- 
rated the  hilt  of  his  state-sword.  Opposite  to  him  sat 
the  Empress. 

The  same  memorable  day  which  had  seen  her  ascend 
a  throne  was  to  witness,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years, 
her  final  descent  from  it;  and  the  victim  w^as  arrayed 
for  the  sacrifice.  She  wore  a  dress  of  sky-blue  striped 
with  gold,  and  embroidered  with  pearls;  her  purple 
mantle  was  richly  ornamented  with  a  bordering  of 
emeralds,  amethysts,  topazes,  and  garnets ;  w^hile  her 
girdle,  as  well  as  her  diadem,  and  the  crown  wliich  was 
so  soon  to  fall  from  the  head  by  which  it  was  borne  so 
gracefully,  were  composed  of  enormous  brilliants. 
Never  before  had  she  exhibited  so  much  magnificence. 
All  the  newly-crowned  Sovereigns  who  filled  the  table 
were,  moreover,  attired  with  a  gorgeousness  which  ren- 
dered the  coup  cfoeil  one  of  extraordinary  grandeur ; 
nor  were  the  great  officers  of  the  Imperial  Household 
less  splendid  in  their  appearance. 

The  covers  for  the  illustrious  party  were  laid  in  the 
Banquetting  Hall,  in  a  semicircular  recess ;  the  great 


256  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

officers  of  tlie  household  in  their  brilliant  uniforms 
forming  a  background  ;  while  the  body  of  the  spacious 
apartment  was  left  open  to  the  public,  who,  entering 
by  one  lateral  door,  passed  along  the  front  of  the  dais, 
and  then  retired  by  another  directly  opposite. 

At  the  close  of  the  banquet  the  Imperial  and  Royal 
guests  proceeded  to  the  ball-room,  where  their  appear- 
ance was  anxiously  awaited  by  the  principal  personages 
of  the  court  and  city  ;  and  here  nothing  could  be  more 
magical  than  the  scene  which  presented  itself.  The 
noble  apartment  blazed  with  light,  which  was  reflected 
by  costly  jewels,  gleaming  satins,  and  waving  plumes. 
The  Emperor,  grave,  stately,  and  almost  stern,  moved 
through  the  room,  addressing  a  few  words  to  such  of 
the  ladies  as  by  their  rank  and  station  were  entitled  to 
anticipate  the  courtesy ;  and  he  was  followed  by  the 
Empress,  who,  pale,  depressed,  and  wretched,  could 
scarcely  articulate  a  greeting.  Her  suffering,  for  truly 
it  must  have  been  one  to  enact  the  sovereign  when  she 
was  already  deposed,  was  not,  however,  of  long  dura- 
tion. The  quick  eye  of  Kapoleon  soon  detected  that 
her  strength  must  fail  her,  and  at  midnight  he  retired. 

The  last  act  of  her  Imperial  existence  had  been 
played  out ;  and  the  unfortunate  Josephine  was  at 
length  enabled  to  give  free  vent  to  her  misery.  When 
she  reached  her  own  apartment  she  tore  off  the 
gorgeous  trappings  which  had  for  hours  weighed  upon 
her  so  heavily,  and  lifted  the  diadem  from  her  head 
with  an  assumption  of  relief  which  to  tliose  about  her 
appeared  feigned  and  unnatural ;  and  she  had  no  sooner 
permitted  them  to  arrange  her  sleeping-dress  than  she 
dismissed  all  her  attendants. 


THE  DIVORCE.  257 

On  the  night  of  the  divorce  a  fearful  storm  broke 
over  Paris ;  and  such  a  dehige  of  rain  fell,  and  was 
swept  in  compact  sheets  of  water  by  the  violence  of 
the  wind,  that  great  apprehensions  were  entertained  for 
the  safety  of  the  city.  On  the  following  morning  the 
streets  were  strewn  with  shattered  chimneys,  broken 
glass,  the  roofs  of  houses,  and  shutters  which  had  been 
blown  from  their  hinges ;  while  on  the  boulevards,  and 
in  the  public  gardens,  especially  those  of  the  Tuileries, 
numbers  of  trees  were  uprooted,  and  lay  upon  the 
ground. 

Tlie  Senate  held  at  the  Luxembourg  at  midday  of  the 
16th  to  officially  propose  the  divorce  is  matter  of  his- 
tory ;  as  is  also  the  audience  accorded  on  the  following 
day  at  tlie  Tuileries  by  Napoleon,  to  ratify  its  decision. 

A  short  time  after  the  arrival  of  the  senators  at  the 
palace,  they  were  introduced  into  the  great  cabinet  of 
the  Emperor,  in  which  were  seated  the  Imperial 
couple,  the  Kings  of  Holland,  Westphalia,  and  Naples ; 
Prince  Eugene;  and  their  Majesties  the  Queens  of 
Spain,  Holland,  Westphalia,  and  Naples ;  Madame- 
Mere  /  and  the  Princess  Pauline  Borghese. 

Tlie  report  of  the  proceedings  of  this  eventful  morn- 
ing which  was  publicly  promulgated,  was  very  far  from 
a  correct  one.  Instead  of  delivering  the  calm,  un- 
embarrassed address  which  an  audacious  diplomacy 
attributed  to  the  Empress,  and  which  was  in  point  of 
fact  the  composition  of  Regnault  de  Saint-Jean- 
d'Angely,  the  spirit-bowed  Josephine  could  not  utter 
a  syllable.  In  vain  did  she  spread  her  fan  before 
her  face,  she  could  conceal  neither  her  sobs,  nor 
the   shivering  which   at   intervals    shook   her  whole 


258  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

frame ;  and  Cambaceres  was  compelled  to  guide  her 
hand  as  she  affixed  her  signature  to  the  fatal  document. 

The  poor  Queen  of  Holland,  who  was  little  less  over- 
come than  her  mother,  looked  almost  in  vain  around  her 
for  consolation  and  support ;  for  with  the  exception  of 
the  Queens  of  Spain  and  Westphalia,  no  one  appeared 
to  feel  the  slightest  sympathy  in  her  sorrow ;  while,  on 
the  contrary,  she  detected  in  several  of  ]S"apoleon'8 
relatives  the  unconcealed  evidences  of  a  satisfaction  as 
ill-timed  as  it  was  ungenerous.  The  Kings  of  Holland 
and  N'aples  behaved  admirably ;  but  Caroline  and  Pau- 
line scarcely  endeavored  to  control  their  triumphant 
exultation,  and  exchanged  glances  which  were  neither 
unobserved  nor  misinterpreted  by  those  who  intercepted 
them.  Madame  Bonaparte,  meanwhile,  sat  cold  and 
silent.  Slie  had  never  loved  her  step-daughter,  and 
was  too  proud  to  feign  what  she  did  not  feel. 

^Napoleon  gave  no  other  sign  of  emotion  than  the 
pertinacity  with  which  he  averted  his  eyes  from  the 
face  of  his  almost  convulsed  victim ;  his  voice  was 
clear  and  steady,  and  his  attitude  firm.  He  was  al- 
ready looking  beyond  the  troubled  present  into  the 
brilliant  future  which  was  to  behold  him — the  Corsican 
refugee  and  military  adventurer — the  husband  of  a 
daughter  of  the  Caesars ! 

At  length  all  the  necessary  ceremonies  had  been 
observed ;  the  irrevocable  step  had  been  taken ;  and 
as  he  rose  from  his  seat,  the  children  of  Josephine  hur- 
ried their  mother  from  the  room ;  while  she  struggled 
to  suppress  the  evidences  of  her  anguish,  in  order  not 
to  betray  it  to  the  throng  of  officials  who  crowded  the 
state-apartments. 


AN  EPISODE  IN  THE  LIFE  OF  TALMA.  259 

At  midday  on  the  morrow,  after  the  night  of  tempest 
we  have  already  described,  and  while  Napoleon  and 
his  generals  were  reviewing  the  troops  in  the  square  of 
the  Carrousel,  she  was  seen,  accompanied  by  her 
daughter,  to  enter  her  carriage,  never  more  to  return 
to  the  Tuileries. 

" A  la  Malmauony''  shouted  the  mounted  equerry — 
and  thus  finished  for  Josephine  Tascher  de  la  Pagerie 
the  empty  dream  of  greatness  by  which  she  had  been 
BO  long  beguiled. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AN   EPISODE   IN   THE  LIFE   OF   TALMA. 

One  of  the  most  Herculean  labors  undertaken  by 
Napoleon  I.  when  he  had  succeeded  in  ascending  the 
French  throne  was  to  cleanse  his  court  of  the  vice  by 
which  those  of  the  Directory  and  the  Consulate  had 
alike  been  defiled.  An  index  expurgatorius  had  indeed 
been  attempted  at  the  Tuileries  and  la  Malmaison  ere 
he  assumed  the  purple,  but  much  still  remained  to  be 
done  when  he  had  possessed  himself  of  the  reins  of 
Empire  on  which  he  could  not,  while  less  than  all-pow- 
erful, insist  with  the  stringency  required  to  effect  his 
purpose. 

Many  of  the  misguided  women  whose  names  he  had 
caused  to  be  erased  from  the  reception-list  of  the 
Empress,  persisted  in  rendering  themselves  conspicuous 


260  EPISODES  OF   FKENCH  HISTOKY. 

with  certain  fashionable  actors,  such  as  Ellevion,  of  the 
Italian  Opera-honse,  and  Henri,  of  the  Yaudeville ;  and 
this  disgraceful  mania  was  carried  to  such  a  height  that 
on  one  occasion  the  Marquise  de  B  ^  *  *  "^  actually 
challenged  a  woman  of  the  same  rank  as  herself  for 
having  endeavored  to  supplant  her  in  one  of  these  dis- 
graceful liaisons. 

In  the  confusion  of  ranks  consequent  upon  the  politi- 
cal convulsions  by  which  France  had  been  mercilessly 
wrung  for  several  years,  and  in  the  total  subversion  of 
society,  provided  that  a  woman  were  handsome  she 
could  aspire  to  whatever  rank  she  pleased;  and  the 
natural  result  ensued ;  the  moral  principle  was  destroyed 
in  both  sexes ;  men  bartered  their  very  souls  for  power 
and  gain ;  while  women  forgot  to  blush  at  the  means 
employed  to  accomplish  the  ends  of  their  ambition. 
Education,  intellect,  or  accomplishments  had  ceased 
to  attract ;  matter  had  usurped  the  place  of  mind  ;  all 
was  held  cheaply,  save  that  which  immediately  con- 
duced to  personal  gratification  either  of  the  vanity  or 
the  senses.  Yapid  scandal ;  exaggerated  and  indecent 
fashions,  wherein  the  leading  beauties  of  the  day 
appeared  to  have  resigned  to  the  sterner  sex  the  tags 
and  tinsel  in  which  under  the  dynasty  of  the  Bourbons 
they  had  delighted,  and  to  prove  with  how  much,  in 
the  article  of  clothing,  they  could  dispense ;  theatrical 
representations  devoid  alike  of  talent  and  of  modesty ; 
the  coarsest  conversation,  by  which  the  ear  was  polluted 
and  the  nature  hardened  and  debased;  such  were 
the  deplorable  resources  of  a  large  portion  of  those 
whom  the  seething  cauldron  of  revolution  had  cast 
upon  the  surface  of  society.     The  theatre  of  Brunet 


AN  EPISODE  IN  THE   LIFE  OF  TALMA.  261 

was  the  popular  school  of  literature  with  the  young 
men  of  fasliion ;  and  nothing  was  a  greater  object  of 
envy  than  the  talent  of  repeating  with  ease  and 
empliasis  the  gross  double-meanings  of  the  Jocrisses 
and  the  Cadet-Roussels. 

The  education  of  the  young  girls  was  little  better,  for 
there  actually  existed  seminaries  in  Paris  where  they 
were  taught  the  whole  art  and  system  of  coquetry; 
and  where,  on  the  occasion  of  a  distribution  of  prizes, 
or  any  other  local  festival,  groups  of  half-naked  maid- 
ens executed  ballets  under  the  eyes  of  their  parents  and 
relatives,  by  whom  their  proficiency  was  api)lauded  as 
though  they  had  been  paid  coryphees  of  the  opera. 

No  principle  of  religion  was  inculcated  at  these 
schools.  It  is  true  that  rewards  were  no  longer  given 
to  the  unhappy  young  creatures  who  became  mothers 
before  they  were  wives,  as  had  been  the  case  under  the 
Convention  ;  but  placed  between  the  Scylla  and  Cha- 
ry bdis  of  evil  example  and  vicious  education,  it  required 
more  than  ordinary  virtue  to  escape  the  general  infec- 
tion of  vice ;  and  even  where  the  conduct  remained 
pure,  the  mind  was  too  often  irretrievably  contami- 
nated. 

In  order  to  verify  the  fact  of  the  foregone  assertions, 
I  will  relate  an  anecdote  which  I  derived  from  the  sup- 
pressed memoirs  of  one  of  the  Emperor's  chamberlains ; 
who,  being  a  man  of  taste  and  intellect,  had  cultivated 
the  friendship  of  the  great  tragedian  Talma,  from  whose 
own  lips  he  heard  the  story. 

Talma  was  still  buried  in  sleep  at  eight  o'clock  one 
morning,  when  his  servant  awoke  him  with  the  an- 
nouncement that  a  lady,  very  young  and  very  pretty. 


262  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

requested  to  see  liim  immediately.  It  was  either  just 
before  or  just  after  the  return  of  Bonaparte  from  Egypt, 
and  at  the  period  when  the  tragedian  occupied  apart- 
ments in  the  house  of  Yigier  on  the  Quai  Yoltaire. 
Although  his  profession  might  be  no  patent  of  morality, 
he  was  essentially  a  man  of  honor  and  delicacy,  and 
the  proceeding  offended  his  nice  sense  of  propriety. 
He  accordingly  somewhat  impatiently  desired  that  the 
lady,  be  she  who  or  what  she  might,  should  be  informed 
that  he  was  extremely  sorry  to  appear  uncourteous,  but 
that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  receive  her. 

The  valet  executed  his  commission,  but  immediately 
returned  to  report  that  the  visitor  would  not  leave  the 
house  until  her  request  had  been  complied  with,  and 
that  she  was  weeping  bitterly;  upon  which  Talma, 
conjecturing  that  it  must  be  some  one  in  distress  who 
came  to  ask  his  assistance,  at  once  resolved  to  indulge 
her  wish ;  and  after  instructing  his  servant  to  beg  that 
she  would  wait  for  a  few  minutes  in  his  breakfast-room, 
he  hastily  dressed  himself,  and  joined  his  pertinacious 
guest. 

His  first  question,  when  he  found  himself  in  the  pre- 
sence of  an  elegant  and  lovely  girl  of  fifteen,  richly 
dressed,  and  evidently  belonging  to  the  upper  classes 
of  society,  was  naturally  as  to  the  cause  which  had  pro- 
cured for  him  the  honor  of  her  visit ;  when  she  unhesi- 
tatingly replied  that  on  the  previous  evening  she  had 
accompanied  her  parents  to  the  theatre  of  the  Kepublic, 
where  she  had  seen  him  enact  the  part  of  Achilles; 
that  she  had  lain  awake  the  whole  night  in  order  to  re- 
call his  image, ;  that  she  loved  him  ;  and  that,  in  short, 
not  even  the  fear  of  death  itself  would  have  had  power 


AN  EPISODE  IN  THE  LIFE  OF  TALMA.  263 

to  prevent  her  from  seeking  to  win  his  love  in 
return. 

Flattered  no  doubt,  both  as  an  actor  and  as  a  man, 
at  so  singular  an  avowal.  Talma  nevertlielcss  looked 
upon  her  with  pity  rather  than  passion,  and  attempted 
to  impress  her  with  the  danger  as  well  as  the  disgrace 
of  the  step  which  she  had  taken  ;  but  the  juvenile  rival 
of  Iphigenia  refused  to  listen  to  his  arguments,  and 
persisted  in  declaring  that  should  she  be  separated  from 
him  her  life  would  be  valueless. 

"  But,  my  poor  child  ;"  said  Talma ;  "  you  are  not  in 
the  least  aware  of  the  position  in  which  you  have  placed 
yourself  Come,  come ;  return  to  your  home  and  to 
your  family ;  and  think  no  more  of  me,  save  indeed  it 
be  to  remember  that  I  have  enjoyed  five  minutes'  con- 
versation with  a  young  lady,  whose  beauty  requires 
only  the  dignity  of  self-respect  to  render  it  perfect." 

"  But  I  love  you—" 

"  Nay,  in  that  case ;"  replied  the  tragedian,  anxious 
to  inspire  her  with  confidence ;  "  I  am  afraid  that  your 
reasons  are  indeed  resistless ;  and  now  tell  me  how  you 
contrived  to  elude  the  vigilance  of  your  mother,  my 
little  heroine." 

Delighted  by  the  smile  with  which  he  looked  down 
upon  her,  and  the  earnest  tone  in  which  he  addressed 
her,  his  enamored  visitor  wiped  away  her  tears,  shook 
back  the  lustrous  masses  of  dark  hair  that  hung  about 
her  brow  and  shoulders,  and  hastened  to  gratify  his 
curiosity.  Her  plan  was  so  well  laid  as  she  left  home, 
(upwards  of  an  hour  before  she  reached  his  liouse)  in 
order  to  return  to  her  school,  that  she  had  contrived  to 
rid  herself  for  a  few  moments  of  her  mother's  waiting- 


264  EPISODES   OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

maid,  to  whose  care  slie  liad  been  confided,  and  to  make 
lier  escape ;  when,  not  knowing  his  address,  she  had 
procured  it  from  the  door-keeper  of  the  theatre. 

During  their  conversation,  Tahna  found  no  difficulty 
in  ascertaining  who  his  fair  visitor  was,  and  where  she 
resided.  The  name  of  her  father  was  famih'ar  to  him 
as  that  of  an  individual  who  had  enriched  himself  by 
army-contracts,  and  by  speculating  on  the  Stock-Ex- 
change. He  was  also  aware  that  the  family  lived  in  a 
very  expensive  manner ;  and  that  the  gentleman, 
having  devoted  himself  entirely  to  the  pursuit  of  mo- 
ney, had  left  his  establishment  under  the  sole  control 
of  his  wife  ;  who,  in  her  turn,  was  entirely  absorbed  in 
the  pursuit  of  pleasure,  and  was  ignorant  of  much  that 
was  going  forward  beneath  her  own  roof. 

As  he  reflected  on  these  facts,  the  noble-minded  tra- 
gedian felt  his  pity  for  the  poor  misguided  girl  grow 
into  a  warm  and  brotherly  interest,  and  his  plans  were 
soon  arranged.  Having,  at  that  time,  no  carriage  of 
his  own,  he  desired  his  servant  to  hire  a  hackney-coach, 
and  to  direct  the  driver  to  wait  at  the  corner  of  the 
rue  de  Beaune ;  and  on  the  return  of  his  messenger  he 
prevailed  on  the  young  lady  to  precede  him  to  the  ve- 
hicle, promising  to  rejoin  her  in  a  few  moments,  and  to 
accompany  her  to  the  Champs  Elysees,  where  he  pro- 
posed that  they  should  breakfast. 

Enchanted  by  the  project,  his  visitor  at  once  com- 
plied ;  and  Talma,  equally  pleased  that  he  had  by  this 
precaution  prevented  her  further  compromising  herself, 
soon  followed ;  when  having  given  his  instructions  to 
the  coachman  in  a  low  voice,  and  desired  his  servant  to 
mount  the  box,  he  took  his  seat  beside  the  fair  fugitive  ; 


AN  EPISODE   IN  THE  LIFE  OF  TALMA.  265 

who,  overcome  at  length  by  liis  arguments  and  repre- 
Bentations,  finally  consented  with  great  reluctance  to 
have  a  last  interview  with  her  mother. 

In  obedience  to  the  orders  given,  tlie  coach  stopped 
a  few  doors  from  the  house  of  the  young  lady's  parents ; 
but  her  companion  would  not  suffer  her  to  alight  until 
his  valet  had  fulfilled  the  commission  with  which  he 
was  entrusted.  Little  had  the  thrice-happy  girl,  when 
tenderly  reproaching  the  object  of  her  admiration  for 
his  delay  in  not  sooner  hastening  to  her  in  the  carriage, 
suspected  in  what  manner  he  had  employed  the  brief 
period  of  his  absence,  during  which  time  he  had  in 
fact  written  a  hurried  note  to  her  mother  to  entreat 
that  she  would  immediately  come  to  the  spot,  which 
his  servant  would  point  out,  and  reclaim  her  daughter. 

The  unfortunate  woman,  who  had  already  been  ap- 
prised by  her  waiting-maid  of  the  disappearance  of  her 
child,  and  who  was  half-frantic  with  sorrow  and  alarm, 
instantly  obeyed  the  summons ;  but  on  seeing  Talma 
uttered  a  despairing  shriek. 

"  Fear  nothing,  Madame,"  he  said  soothingly ;  "  Ma- 
demoiselle was  simply  curious  to  ascertain  if  the  Talma 
of  e very-day  life  resembled  in  any  way  the  Achilles  of 
the  stage.  That  curiosity  she  has  now  satisfied ;  and  I 
am  delighted  to  place  her  once  more  in  your  arms." 

Then,  bowing  profoundly  to  both  ladies,  he  sprang 
into  his  modest  vehicle,  and  drove  off. 

"  And  did  you  ever  meet  with  your  fair  inamorata 
afterwards  ?"  inquired  Count  d'A . 

"I  did;"  replied  the  tragedian;  "on  one  solitary 
occasion  at  Erfurth,  some  eight  years  subsequent  to  the 

12 


266  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

event  I  have  just  related.  She  was  then  married  to  an 
officer  of  high  rank  in  the  Imperial  Guard  ;  and  I  found 
on  inquiry  that  she  had  become  an  amiable  wife  and 
mother." 

Endeavor  after  that  to  prophesy  the  final  career  of 
a  woman  by  her  antecedents. 


CHAPTEK  XX. 

THE   TWO   EMPEKOKS. 

"People  who  do  not  reflect  upon  a  Providence" — 

says  the  Count  d'A ,  in  his  suppressed  memoirs — 

"  are  quite  correct  in  declaring  that  all  is  chance  in  this 
world ;  for,  the  conviction  of  that  overruling  Providence 
remaining  unfelt  and  unacknowledged,  it  is  certain 
that  what  they  call  'chance'  occasionally  serves  us 
better  than  the  most  clever  combinations  of  our  own 
ingenuity. 

"  One  day — (I  adopt  his  own  words) — I  really  cannot 
explain  wherefore,  but  I  determined  on  going  to  the 
Tuileries  considerably  before  the  hour  at  which,  as 
chamberlain  to  the  Emperor,  my  services  would  be 
required.  It  was,  in  short,  scarcely  eight  o'clock  ;  and 
I  was  pacing  to  and  fro  in  perfect  solitude  the  salon 
Wtionneur^  buried  in  thought,  when  a  door  suddenly 
opened,  and  I  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  the 
Emperor.  He  looked  more  worn  than  I  had  ever 
before  seen  him,  and  by  a  gesture  of  the  hand  he 


THE  TWO  EMPERORS.  267 

« 

motioned  me  to  approach.  I  obeyed,  and  he  preceded 
me  to  his  cabinet,  which  we  had  no  sooner  entered, 
than  without  any  preamble,  he  said  abruptly  : — 

"  *  You  speak  German,  I  believe.  Monsieur.* 

«*  *  I  do,  Sire.'  • 

"  *  And  Italian  ?' 

"  *  Both  fluently.' 

" '  That  is  well  I' 

"*I  am  also  acquainted  with  other  European  lan- 
guages, such  as  Spanish  and  English ;  in  fact  I  could 
travel  throughout  Europe  without  inconvenience  on 
that  score.' 

**  *  You  are  fortunate,  M.  le  Comte  ;'  he  remarked ; 
*  there  is  no  education  so  practically  useful  as  languages 
and  mathematics.  Do  you  know  anything  of  mathe- 
matics V 

"  '  But  little,  Sire.  I  have  a  smattering  of  geometry, 
trigonometry,  and  algebra ;  but  I  have  not  sufficiently 
studied  the  science  to  call  myself  a  good  mathemati- 
cian.' 

"  *  It  is  not  necessary  that  you  should  be  so  in  order 
to  execute  the  service  which  I  am  about  to  confide  to 
you ;'  was  his  reply  ;  '  What  you  have  to  do  is  this — 
returjj  home,  procure  a  good  travelling-carriage — have 
you  one  ?' 

"  *  Sire,  I  can  secure  one  immediately.' 

"  '  1^0 ;  that  would  involve  delay ;'  he  said  impa- 
tiently ;  *  you  shall  have  one  of  mine.  You  must  start 
for  Italy,  and  proceed  to  Milan,  where  the  Yiceroy  will 
supply  you  with  the  means  of  entering  Austria  without 
betraying  your  identity.  When  you  reach  Yienna  watch 
the  movements  of  the  Emperor ;  he  frequently  goes  out 


268  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

on  foot,  or  in  a  plain  caleclie.  Accost  him  boldly ;  tell 
liim  tliat  you  come  from  me,  and  that  you  wish  to  speak 
to  him  without  witnesses,  in  order  that  neither  his  minis- 
ters nor  my  own  ambassador  may  be  cognisant  of  the 
interview.  If  his  reply  sl#uld  be  in  the  negative,  give 
him  this  letter,  marked  Ko.  1,  in  which  I  recognise  you 
as  my  confidential  envoy  and  agent ;  when  he  must,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  recognise  your  functions.  In  this 
case  you  will  make  no  observation — answer  no  ques- 
tions— ^but  merely  observe  that  your  mission  is  termi- 
nated by  the  refusal  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  to  receive 
you  a  second  time.  If,  on  the  contrary,  he  consents  to 
do  so,  deliver  to  him  the  packet  marked  'No.  2, — ^here 
it  is — he  will  read  it,  and  appoint  a  time  for  the  inter- 
view. Then,  and  only  then,  I  authorise  you  to  open 
this  third  envelope,  and  to  read  the  note  w4iich  it  con- 
tains, as  well  as  the  instructions,  and  other  documents 
by  which  it  is  accompanied.  Remember,  Monsieur, 
that  upon  the  success  of  your  mysterious  embassy  will 
depend  beyond  all  doubt  the  future  prosperity  of  two 
great  nations ;  I  will  not  add  your  own  also,  as  that 
will  be  the  natural  consequence  of  having  served  my 
interests  and  those  of  France.' 

"  I  listened  ;"  continued  the  Count ;  "  with  deep  and 
eager  attention  to  the  words  of  ITapoleon.  They  opened 
up  For  me  a  career  at  once  brilliant  and  flattering ;  and 
I  could  scarcely  believe  that  I  was  not  the  victim  of  an 
illusion.  Tliere  could  not,  however,  exist  a  doubt  as  to 
the  reality  of  the  scene.  I  thanked  the  Emperor  for 
the  honor  which  he  conferred  upon  me  by  such  a  mark 
of  confidence ;  and  assured  him  so  earnestly  that  he 
should  not  find  it  misplaced,  that  he  evidently  gave 
credence  to  my  words. 


THE  TWO   EMPERORS.  269 

"  He  then  desired  me  to  request  leave  of  absence  on 
the  pretext  of  ill-health,  and  to  ask  a  passport  for  Ger- 
many ;  directing  nio  at  the  same  time  to  inform  my 
friends  and  my  family  that,  should  I  derive  as  much 
benefit  as  I  anticipated  from  the  journey,  my  absence 
would  probably  be  a  prolonged  one. 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  feasible  than  such  an  asser- 
tion, as  it  was  well-known  that  I  was  at  that  very  time 
sufi'ering  severely  from  an  annoyance  of  a  private  na- 
ture, to  which  1  shall  do  no  more  than  allude,  as  it  is 
foreign  to  the  subject ;  but  it  was  with  no  small  sur- 
prise that  I  discovered  the  Emperor  to  be  fully  aware 
of  the  circumstance. 

"  When  I  had  received  my  instructions,  I  was  about 
to  retire;  but  Napoleon,  disregarding  my  salutation, 
approached  his  bureau,  from  which  he  took  a  portfolio 
full  of  bank  bills  on  France,  London,  Amsterdam,  Ham- 
burg, Vienna,  and  several  other  of  the  great  cities  of 
Germany. 

"  '  Take  these ;'  he  said,  holding  them  towards  me  ; 
*  I  do  not  intend  the  expenses  of  your  journey  to  be 
defrayed  by  any  of  the  government  offices  ;  and  it  does 
not  suit  me  that  your  progress  should  be  hampered 
through  want  of  funds.  I  have  a  last  caution  to  give 
you.  Beware,  Monsieur,  of  the  Count  of  Stadion,  and 
above  all  of  CoUoredo  ;  the  latter  is  my  personal  enemy ; 
he  married  a  French  emigrant,  a  poor  fool  who  attempts, 
like  the  frog  in  the  fable,  to  swell  herself  to  greatness 
by  seeking  to  declare  herself  my  equal.  If  they  propose 
to  place  you  in  communication  with  the  Archduke 
Charles,  the  Prince  of  Lichtenstein,  or  even  the  Prince 
de  Ligne,  that  will  be  a  good  sign  ;  but  be  prudent  and 


270  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

firm,  and  endeavor  to  avoid  the  scrutiny  of  the  Baron 
de  Sumerarr,  tlie  Police  Minister.  In  any  case,  you 
have  a  right  to  demand  an  official  presentation  ;  and 
you  can  do  so  should  you  consider  it  expedient.' 

"  At  the  termination  of  this  long  conversation,  during 
which  the  waiting-room  had  become  thronged  with 
persons,  either  desirous  of  an  audience  w^ith  His  Ma- 
jesty, or  awaiting  his  orders  for  the  day,  he  declared 
his  unwillingness  that  I  should  be  observed  quitting  his 
cabinet,  as  so  signal  a  favor,  coupled  with  my  hasty 
departure  from  France,  could  not  fail,  should  it  become 
known,  to  arouse  the  curiosity  and  the  suspicions  of  those 
about  him  ;  a  contingency  which  he  was  extremely 
anxious  to  avoid  ;  observing  that  if  ever  the  motive  of 
a  journey  required  to  be  kept  secret,  mine  was  most 
certainly  that  mission. 

"  I  was  quite  bewildered,  as  I  had  not  the  most  re- 
mote clue  to  its  nature  or  purpose  ;  but  the  Imperial 
word  sufficed.  That  Napoleon  was  thoroughly  in  earnest 
was  certain,  and  it  consequently  behoved  me  to  be 
equally  so ;  although  I  felt  much  as  a  man  may  be  dis- 
posed to  do  who  is  about  to  pursue  in  the  dark  a  path 
beset  by  snares  and  pitfalls.  Nevertheless,  however,  I 
was  full  of  hope  and  self-gratulation,  for  I  knew  the 
strength  of  the  hand  by  which  I  had  been  guided  into 
that  path,  and  by  which  I  should  be  supported  amid  its 
dangers  ;  for  what  individual's  fortune  ever  failed  at  that 
period  when  it  was  based  upon  the  favor  of  Napoleon  ? 

"  I  quitted  the  palace  under  the  guidance  of  Roustan, 
who  conducted  me  through  a  maze  of  secret  passages  ; 
and  I  finally  found  myself  at  foot  of  the  staircase  in 
the  pavilion  of  Flora.     In  what  a  different  frame  of 


THE  TWO  EMPERORS.  271 

mind  did  I  leave  the  Tuileries  from  that  in  which  I  had 
entered  there  only  an  hour  or  two  previously.  Tlien  I 
was  gloomy,  depressed,  and  careless  of  the  future;  while 
as  I  pursued  my  homeward  way  I  felt  assured  that  a 
brilliant  career  was  before  me,  and  I  already  found 
myself  secretly  entrusted  with  a  mission  of  which  the 
importance  was  beyond  all  doubt. 

"  On  what  was  really  its  nature  I  must  be  silent." 

[Subsequent  events  proved  that  the  embassy  of  the 
count  had  for  its  object  to  request  the  hand  of  Marie 
Louise  for  Napoleon,  and  that  it  signally  failed  ;  which 
failure  entailed  a  war  witli  Austria,  that  rendered  the 
Emperor  Francis  more  complying,  and  ultimately 
placed  the  crown  of  France  upon  the  brow  of  the 
young  Archduchess.] 

"  I  might ;"  pursued  M.  d'A ;  "  have  gratified 

the  curiosity  of  many  whom  I  was  anxious  to  oblige, 
had  I  revealed  even  a  portion  of  what  had  passed  be- 
tween my  Imperial  master  and  myself;  but  in  the  first 
place  my  word  was  pledged,  and  in  the  next  I  was  well 
aware  that  such  a  breach  of  confidence  would  soon  be 
discovered  by  the  Emperor,  and  punished  as  it  deserved 
to  be.  Meanwhile  the  news  of  my  sudden  departure 
spread  through  the  court  circle,  who  attributed  its 
haste  to  my  anxiety  regarding  my  health ;  but  there 
were  a  few  more  astute  personages  who  entertained 
considerable  doubt  that  such  was  its  real  motive. 
Among  others  M.  de  Talleyrand  was  too  keen-sighted 
to  be  so  easily  deceived. 

" '  You  have  chosen  a  strange  remedy,  moii  cher 
comte;^  he  said,  sarcastically,  when  I  waited  upon  him 
on  some  business  connected  with  my  office,  and  inci- 


272  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

dentally  mentioned  that  I  was  about  to  leave  Paris  for 
a  time ;  '  I  had  already  been  informed  of  your  pro- 
ject ;  and  I  confess  it  appears  to  me  that  a  residence  at 
the  Courts  of  Munich  and  Vienna  is  much  less  likely 
to  restore  your  health  and  spirits  than  a  visit  to  the 
baths  of  Baden  or  Tceplitz.  I  could  have  understood 
the  probability  of  the  one  ;  but  the  presumed  efficacy 
of  the  other  is  beyond  my  comprehension.' 

"  'Nor  was  I  more  fortunate  when  I  paid  my  parting 
respects  to  the  Princess  Hortense,  who  laughingly 
observed:  'all  the  world  is  talking  of  your  illness, 
Monsieur,  and  of  the  extraordinary  method  by  which 
you  hope  to  overcome  it.  Your  friends  are  unanimously 
of  opinion  that  a  course  of  highway  travelling  can 
scarcely  be  necessary,  or  likely  to  be  efficacious.' 

" '  My  friends,  Madame  la  Princesse,'  I  replied 
gravely,  '  are  very  kind  to  judge  for  me  in  such  an 
emergency ;  and  they  are  quite  welcome  to  do  so  while 
I  retain  my  liberty  of  action.' 

"  '  From  which  Minister  have  you  received  your 
instructions  V  she  asked  with  an  ambiguous  smile. 

"  '  I  have  not  seen  one  of  them  upon  the  subject, 
Madame ;'  I  said  as  composedly  as  before ;  '  Greatly 
requiring  change  to  overcome  a  very  painful  trial,  I 
requested  the  permission  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  to 
travel  for  a  few  months,  a  favor  which  was  accorded  to 
me  through  the  interposition  of  M.  de  Remusat ;  and  I 
shall  not  see  any  of  Their  Excellencies  until  to-morrow, 
when  I  go  to  obtain  from  the  Police-Minister  the  pass- 
port which  I  require,  in  order  that  it  may  afterwards 
be  vise  by  the  Minister  for  Foreign  Aifairs.' 

"  On  the  following  day  I  proceeded  to  the  office  of 


THE  TM'O  EMPEROKS.  273 

Fouch6,  wlio  no  sooner  saw  me  enter  than  ho  ex- 
claimed : — 

*'  *  We  are  then  about  to  lose  yon,  M.  le  Chamberlain. 
And  you  are  going  to  run  half  over  the  world.  I  trust 
that  we  may  all  profit  by  your  experiences,  for  rest 
assured  that  you  will  have  plenty  of  adventures.' 

'*  *  I  shall  endeavor  to  decrease  their  number  by  keep- 
ing myself  in  the  background ;'  was  my  reply,  for  I 
was  already  upon  my  guard. 

"  *  A  notable  resolution,  no  doubt ;'  pursued  the 
Police-Minister;  *  only  somewhat  difficult  of  accomplish- 
ment. A  chamberlain  of  the  Emperor,  entrusted  with 
the  negotiation  of  important  business,  is  likely  to  be- 
come even  more  conspicuous  by  the  very  efforts  which 
he  makes  to  conceal  his  real  pui-pose.' 

^^  ^ Moiiseigneur  y^  said  I;  'you  are  quite  mistaken. 
I  am  about  to  travel  for  my  own  gratification  alone  ; 
and  I  trust  that  as  a  mere  private  individual  I  shall  not 
be  interfered  with  in  any  way.' 

"  '  My  dear  fellow  ;'  persisted  Fouche ;  '  display  a 
little  more  frankness.  You  are  entrusted  with  a  mis- 
sion of  some  sort ;  and  thus  much  is  certain,  that  by 
confiding  its  nature  to  me  I  may  be  useful  to  you  ;  for 
I  can  point  out  all  the  snares,  political  and  social,  that 
await  you  throughout  Europe;  into  some  of  which, 
without  my  assistance,  you  will  inevitably  fall.' 

"  I,  however,  persisted  in  my  disclaimers,  and  sus- 
tained the  pertinacious  cross-questioning  of  the  Minister 
without  flinching  ;  until  at  length,  piqued  by  my  re- 
sistance, he  gave  me  to  understand  that  thenceforward 
1  might  look  upon  him  as  an  enemy,  since  I  had  not 
seen  fit  to  secure  him  as  a  friend.     I  affected  not  to 

12* 


274  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

understand  his  meaning,  and  we  parted  thoroughly  dis- 
satisfied with  each  other. 

"  I  cannot  explain  wherefore,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
certain,  that  our  ambassador  at  Vienna  would  not  credit 
my  assertion  when  I  informed  him  that  I  was  a  mere 
traveller ;  and  that  his  reception  of  me  was  haughty 
and  almost  ungracious.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  sought  to 
impress  him  with  a  sense  of  my  insignificance.  I  re- 
marked that  throughout  the  whole  of  onr  first  interview, 
he  scarcely  removed  his  eyes  from  my  passport,  and 
particularly  from  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  docu- 
ment ;  a  curiosity  by  which  I  was  considerably  puzzled, 
as  I  had  myself  never  detected  any  peculiarity  in  its 
appearance. 

"  Being  anxious  to  examine  it  in  my  turn,  I  requested 
that  he  would  restore  it  to  me,  which  he  immediately 
did ;  remarking  as  he  passed  it  across  the  table  : — 

"  '  Be  careful  not  to  lose  it,  as  it  liberates  you  entirely 
from  my  authority ;  I  am  simply  required  to  aid  and 
protect  you  in  all  emergencies,  but  you  are  perfectly 
independent  of  my  jurisdiction.  You  alone,  of  all  our 
countrymen  in  Austria,  are  empowered  to  set  at  naught 
even  the  order  which  I  might  find  it  expedient,  in  the 
interest  of  France,  to  issue  for  your  departure  from 
Yienna  within  four-and-twenty  hours.  You  have  un- 
dertaken a  vast  amount  of  responsibility,  Monsieur ; 
and  you  either  have  very  powerful  friends,  or  you  are 
entrusted  with  secret  functions  of  extraordinary  im- 
portance.' 

"These  observations,  as  well  as  the  tone  in  which 
they  were  uttered,  were  essentially  disagreeable  to  me  ; 
denoting  at  once  as  they  did  an  ill-breeding,  and  a  sua- 


THE  TWO   EMPERORS.  275 

picious  jealousy  which  no  really  clever  man  in  his  posi- 
tion would  have  permitted  himself  to  betray ;  they, 
however,  enabled  me  to  gauge  the  depth,  or  rather  the 
narrowness,  of  his  intellect  at  once  ;  but  as  I  was,  even 
from  his  own  showing,  entirely  independent  both  of  his 
temper  and  his  authority,  I  merely  bowed  in  reply. 

" '  Do  you  wish,  Monsieur ;'  he  abruptly  inquired ; 
*  to  be  presented  to  the  Emperor  ?' 

" '  Your  Excellency  could  not  do  me  a  greater  favor.' 

"  *  But  is  it  necessary  that  I  should  personally  pre- 
sent you  at  the  palace  V 

"  *  It  appears  to  me  that  any  other  means  of  access  to 
His  Majesty  would  not  be  consistent  with  my  dignity 
as  a  Frenchman,  and  an  employe  of  our  Imperial  master.' 

"  He  again  scrutinized  me  closely,  but  evidently  had 
no  faith  in  my  sincerity ;  nevertlieless,  he  could  not, 
after  the  desire  which  I  had  expressed,  do  otherwise 
tlian  promise  that  he  would  ascertain  the  day  and  hour 
when  the  Emperor  would  do  me  the  honor  to  receive 
me ;  and  I  took  my  leave,  highly  amused  at  his  mysti- 
fication, and  bequeathing  to  him  sundry  misgivings 
with  regard  to  the  nature  of  a  mission  which  he  would 
no  doubt  have  been  delighted  to  see  me  terminate  at 
the  bottom  of  the  Danube. 

"  Meanwhile  I  was  painfully  anxious  to  succeed  in 
my  mysterious  undertaking.  It  was  easy  enough  to  be 
discreet ;  but,  under  the  circumstances,  it  was  extremely 
difficult  to  act ;  and  I  was  desirous  not  to  lose  time. 
Here  I  found  myself  on  the  very  scene  of  my  operations, 
but  as  yet  I  knew  not  where  to  apply  the  wedge  w^hich 
was  to  force  an  opening.  Deliberating  upon  this 
dilemma,  I  walked   on   the   mol-ning  succeeding  my 


276  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

interview  with  the  irate  ambassador,  to  the  cafe  Mitani 
in  the  Leopoldstadt,  near  the  bridge  leading  to  the  Pra- 
ter, where  I  seated  myself  in  a  remote  corner,  and 
ordered  mj  breakfast. 

"  While  thus  employed,  I  remarked  at  a  table  not  far 
from  my  own  an  elderly  man,  plainly  dressed,  but  who 
was  waited  upon  by  the  attendants  with  an  eagerness, 
a  promptitude,  and  a  respect,  which  they  did  not  exhi- 
bit in  the  same  degree  towards  any  other  customer ; 
while  he  received  these  marked  attentions  with  the 
indifference  of  a  person  to  whom  they  were  habitual. 
When  he  rose  to  depart  the  waiters  crowded  round 
him  ;  one  brought  him  his  gloves,  another  his  greatcoat, 
another  his  cane,  and  a  fourth  his  hat ;  a  zeal  which 
certainly  was  not  to  be  explained  by  the  very  insignifi- 
cant coin  that  he  threw  upon  the  table  to  reward  their 
services. 

"  All  my  nascent  diplomacy  was  awakened  within 
me.  Who  could  this  stranger  be  ?  Who  knew  whether 
he  might  not  be,  in  some  way,  serviceable  to  my  under- 
taking ?  As  these  thoughts  succeeded  each  other  in  my 
brain,  I  turned  towards  one  of  the  waiters,  and  inquired 
who  the  gentleman  might  be  to  whose  comfort  they 
all  appeared  so  unusually  devoted  ? 

"  '  Why,  Monsieur ;'  replied  the  man,  shrugging  his 
shoulders  at  the  apparent  absurdity  of  the  question  ;  *  it 
is  M.  I^ ,  of  course.' 

"  '  It  would  appear  ;'  I  remarked,  '  that  to  a  Yiennese 
the  name  must  suffice,  but  it  is  not  so  in  my  case.' 

"  The  attendant  looked  at  me  in  astonishment,  as  he 
said : — 

"  <  Why,  Monsieur,  you  must  certainly  have  dropped 


THE  TWO  EMPERORS.  277 

among  us  from  the  sky,  or  arrived  from  tlie  world's 
end,  for  N is  known  by  every  child  in  Europe.' 

" '  Yet  I  have  just  arrived  from  Paris,  where  I 
believe  that  it  was  never  heard.' 

"  '  Well,  then.  Monsieur,  M.  N is  tlie  first  valet- 

de-chambre  of  His  Majesty  the  Emperor.' 

"As  I  ascertained  the  identity  of  tlie  personage,  I 
could  not  repress  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  ;  for  could  I 
only  succeed  in  securing  his  confidence,  there  could  bo 
no  doubt  that  he  might  be  able  to  assist  me  most  mate- 
rially in  the  mysterious  negociation  in  which  I  was 
about  to  engage.  I,  however,  asked  no  further  ques- 
tions, and  left  the  cafe. 

"  On  the  following  morning  I  again  repaired  thither 
at  an  earlier  hour  than  I  had  hitherto  done ;  and,  having 
ordered  my  coffee,  took  possession  of  a  seat  opposite 
to  that  which  I  had  occupied  on  the  previous  day. 
Scarcely  had  I  established  myself,  and  commenced 
reading  a  number  of  the  Jouimal  de  V Empire,  the  only 
French  newspaper  which  was  at  that  period  allowed  to 
circulate  in  Vienna,  when  the  light  was  nearly  shut 
out  by  a  voluminous  body  which  passed  between  me 
and  the  window.  I  looked  up  to  ascertain  the  cause  of 
this  eclipse,  and  to  my  great  satisfaction  discovered 

that  I  had  been  thrown  into  the  shade  by  M.  K . 

"  I  could  have  embraced  him,  so  delighted  was  I  at 
his  arrival ;  but  I  contented  myself  by  bowing  in  the 
most  courteous  manner  I  could  assume,  as  he  removed 
his  coat  and  hat,  and  prepared  in  his  turn  to  make  his 
morning  meal. 

"  We  soon  entered  into  conversation,  and  as  he  im- 
mediately discovered  that  I  was  a  foreigner,  he  soon 


278  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

became  at  his  ease,  and  inquired  without  ceremony  the 
motive  of  my  visit  to  the  Austrian  capitah 

"  '  Unfortunately  ;'  was  my  rejoinder  ;  '  my  errand  is 
by  no  means  a  pleasant  one.  Having  been  disappointed 
by  my  own  sovereign,  I  have  come  here  in  the  hope  of 
inducing  yours  to  examine  into  the  merits  of  an  impor- 
tant discovery  that  I  have  made.' 

^' '  Does  it  relate  to  any  matter  of  finance  V  he  asked. 

"  '  It  does ;'  I  replied  unhesitatingly  ;  '  and  so  inti- 
mately, that  were  it  only  subjected  to  a  fair  trial,  it 
could  not  fail  to  replenish  the  treasury  of  any  nation 
by  w^hich  it  might  be  adopted.' 

"  '  Since  you  assure  me  of  this,  and  that  you  speak 
so  confidently  of  its  results ;'  he  said  after  a  short 
silence  ;  '  I  will  undertake  to  obtain  for  you  an  audience 
of  the  Emperor.  You  can  explain  your  business  to 
His  Majesty,  and,  should  it  meet  his  approval,  all  the 
rest  will  be  easy.' 

"  I  warmly  expressed  my  thanks,  nor  did  I  fail  to 
insinuate  with  all  due  caution  to  my  new  friend,  that 
should  I,  through  his  good  offices,  be  successful  in  my 
undertaking,  I  would  find  means  to  testify  my  gratitude 
without  wounding  his  delicacy.  He  smiled  his  acknow- 
ledgments, and  I  left  it  entirely  to  his  discretion  to 
decide  on  the  day  and  hour  when  I  was  to  be  honored 
by  the  audience  I  so  ardently  desired. 

"  As  for  speaking  to  His  Majesty  ;'  he  said  ;  Hhere 
would  be  little  difficulty  in  doing  that,  for  no  crowned 
head  was  ever  more  accessible  ;  but  it  is  by  no  means 
so  easy  to  see  him  in  private.  I  must  watch  for  a  good 
opportunity  ;  and,  until  I  have  secured  it,  I  advise  you 
to  spend  all  your  afternoons  with  me.     It  is  quite  pos- 


THE  TWO   EMPERORS.  279 

sible  that^  ere  long,  I  shall  have  good  tidings  for  you ; 
60  keep  up  your  spirits,  for  I  feel  sure  that  we  shall 
carry  our  point.' 

"  Five  days  subsequently,  my  valuable  acquaintance 
welcomed  me  with  a  beaming  countenance. 

"  *  Victory  I'  he  shouted — *  Victory  I  Your  audience 
is  arranged  for  this  very  midnight.  I  was  early  to-day 
busying  myself  about  His  Majesty  when  ho  was  alone 
and  in  excellent  humor,  and  I  at  once  availed  myself 
of  so  lucky  a  chance.  When  he  heard  your  name  and 
the  rank  which  you  hold  at  the  court  of  Napoleon,  and 
then  learnt  the  nature  of  your  errand,  he  began  to 
laugh,  and  seemed  to  think  that  your  financial  scheme 
might  be  a  good  one ;  and  in  ten  minutes  he  had  con- 
sented to  receive  you,  and  instructed  me  how  you  were 
to  be  privately  introduced  into  the  palace.  Sup  with 
me,  and  we  will  set  forth  at  the  proper  time.' 

"  The  merriment  with  which  the  Emperor  had  greeted 
my  name,  and  the  announcement  of  my  official  position 
at  the  Tuileries,  produced  a  very  different  effect  upon 
me  to  that  which  it  had  awakened  in  the  good  valet-de- 
chambre  ;  for  I  could  not  but  suspect  that  His  Majesty 
had  at  once  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that,  far  from 
being  a  second  John  Law,  I  was,  in  point  of  fact,  a 
secret  emissary  of  Napoleon.  This,  however,  was  a 
secondary  consideration.  Tlie  audience  was  granted, 
and,  such  being  the  case,  the  letter  marked  No.  1  be- 
came useless,  and  I  had  only  to  deliver  to  the  Austrian 
Emperor  that  which  was  marked  No.  2 ;  nevertheless, 
instead  of  destroying  the  former,  I  resolved  to  take  it 
with  me  in  the  event  of  its  proving  serviceable. 

"  I  the^n  began  to  ask  myself  how  I  should  proceed. 


280  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

and  the  question  was  a  serious  one.  Should  1,  so  soon 
as  the  negociation  was  opened,  acquaint  myself  with 
the  contents  of  the  third  packet,  and  carefully  read  over 
the  notes  and  documents  relating  to  it?  or  should  I, 
confining  myself  entirely  to  the  verbal  instructions  I 
had  received,  delay  doing  so  until  the  Emperor  had 
consented  to  accord  me  a  second  interview?  Ulti- 
mately, the  blind  obedience  with  which  we  were  accus- 
tomed in  France  to  execute  all  the  commands  of  l^apo- 
leon,  determined  me  to  adopt  the  latter  measure,  and 
to  wait,  conformably  to  my  instructions,  until  the  Em- 
peror Francis  summoned  me  to  another  conference. 

"  Consequently,  furnished  with  all  the  necessary  cre- 
dentials to  attest  my  ambassadorial  quality,  I  awaited 
with  impatience  and  anxiety  the  important  moment 
in  which  I  should  be  called  upon  to  act  in  the  name, 
and  on  the  behalf,  of  my  Imperial  master. 

"  I  ate  but  a  meagre  supper,  to  the  great  dissatisfac- 
tion of  my  hospitable  entertainer ;  and,  at  its  close,  I 
hastened  to  make  the  prescribed  preparations.  Attired 
in  the  Imperial  livery  of  Austria,  and  carrying  an  enor- 
mous bundle  of  linen,  so  arranged  that  it  concealed  my 
face  in  the  event  of  encountering  any  one  whose  cu- 
riosity might  have  endangered  the  success  of  our  adven- 
ture, I  followed  the  valet-de-chambre,  who  bore  a  can- 
dlestick with  two  branches,  (the  characteristic  symbol 
of  his  ofiice,)  and  in  due  time  we  arrived,  by  a  labyrinth 
of  private  passages,  in  the  outer  cabinet  of  His  Majesty. 
There  I  was  left  under  the  safeguard  of  my  lucky  star, 
while  my  conductor  passed  into  an  inner  chamber ;  and 
there  I  remained  for  ten  or  twelve  minutes,  which  ap- 
peared to  me  interminable,  trembling  at  the  risk  of 


THE  TWO  EMPERORS.  281 

being  discovered,  recognised,  and  thus  compromising 
the  secret  of  my  Sovereign,  as  well  as  of  becoming  the 
laughing-stock  of  all  the  di])lomatist8  of  Europe ;  or, 
worse  still,  of  exciting  the  enmity  of  his  ministers,  the 
ridicule  of  all  the  French  royalists,  and  of  figuring  in 
an  English  caricature. 

"None  of  the  evils  that  I  apprehended  occurred, 
liowever,  as,  finally,  the  valet-de-chambre  reappeared 
and  bade  me  follow  him,  which  I  did  with  a  strong 
feeling  of  annoyance  and  mortification,  as  I  reflected 
upon  the  costume  in  which  I  was  for  the  first  time  to 
approach  tlie  German  Emperor.  Fortunately,  in  diplo- 
macy as  in  love,  nothing  is  considered  either  dishonor- 
able or  ridiculous,  and  with  this  axiom  I  endeavored 
to  console  myself. 

"  I  immediately  recognised  Francis  11.  by  his  tall, 
slight,  and  upright  figure.  He  was  standing,  as  was 
the  traditional  custom  of  his  family  on  such  occasions, 
leaning  upon  a  table,  on  which  were  burning  two  can- 
dles of  yellow  wax.  "Why  this  particular  and  unpleas- 
ing  color  should  have  been  adopted  and  required  by 
Austrian  etiquette,  I  know  not ;  but  it  is  certain  that 
all  persons  who  have  been  received  at  night  by  a  Ger- 
man Emperor,  have  remarked  this  singular  detail  of 
court  ceremony. 

"  My  zealous  friend  N would  fain  have  assisted 

at  the  audience  ;  but,  as  he  had  no  pretext  for  remain- 
ing in  the  apartment,  he  was  compelled  to  retire  before 
I  had  completed  the  three  profound  inclinations  exacted 
by  custom. 

" '  Monsieur  le  Comte  ;'  commenced  the  Emperor,  as 
I  for  the  third  time  recovered  the  perpendicular ;  *  what 


282  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

is  this  that  1^ tells  me  ?    Have  you,  in  fact,  any 

financial  scheme  to  propose,  or  do  you  not  rather  come 
as  the  confidential  envoy  of  your  sovereign  V 

"  *  Sire ;'  I  replied ;  ^  the  Emperor,  ray  master,  has 
honored  me  as  Your  Majesty  suspects;  but  he  desires 
that  the  negotiation  with  which  I  am  entrusted  should 
be  carried  on  exclusively  between  Your  August  Majesty 
and  himself,  whose  humble  representative  I  am ;  and 
that  above  all,  neither  the  ministers  of  Your  Imperial 
Majesty,  nor  his  own  resident  ambassador,  should  be 
made  cognisant  of  its  existence.  Here  is  my  letter  of 
credence ;  and  when  you  have  condescended  to  read  it, 
I  shall  be  at  Your  Majesty's  orders.' 

"  The  Emperor  smiled  graciously  as  he  extended  his 
hand,  and  evidently  read  the  document  with  great 
attention  ;  after  which  he  glanced  towards  me,  appeared 
lost  in  thought,  and  again  read  it  from  end  to  end ;  nor 
did  my  suspense  terminate  there ;  for,  to  my  extreme 
astonishment,  he  recommenced  its  perusal  a  third  time, 
which  was  no  sooner  concluded  than  he  said  sud- 
denly : — 

'' '  Monsieur,  the  Emperor,  your  master,  begs  me  to 
defer  the  close  of  this  negotiation  until  I  have  granted 
you  a  second  audience.  I  do  not  know  that  I  can,  upon 
this  point,  accede  to  his  desire.  The  forms  of  the  Aus- 
trian monarchy  involve  certain  rules  from  which  I  will 
not  deviate  ;  it  is  well  to  uphold  them,  for  they  are  deci- 
dedly conservative  in  their  principle.  We  absolute  sove- 
reigns ;'  he  pursued  with  a  smile  ;  *  are  strange  despots ; 
our  tyranny,  as  it  is  denominated  in  England,  in  France, 
and  in  Italy,  is  wonderfully  temperate.  We  never 
decide  any  question  without  the  concurrence  of  our 


THB  TWO  EMPERORS.  288 

ministers  and  the  counsellors  we  have  ourselves  selected. 
Consequently,  I  regret  that  I  cannot  promise  you  a 
second  audience ;  nor,  even  if  I  were  disposed  to  accord 
it  to  you,  could  I  discuss  the  subject  of  your  mission 
without  the  co-operation  of  my  council.  In  any  case, 
assure  His  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  the  French  that  the 
greatest  and  the  most  profound  secrecy  shall  be  ob- 
served with  regard  to  this  important  negociation.  It 
is,  moreover,  expedient  that  the  valet-de-chambre  by 
whom  you  have  been  introduced,  ehould  still  believe  in 
the  reality  of  your  financial  project ;  tell  him  that  you 
have  subjected  your  scheme  to  me,  and  that  I  have 
been  impressed  by  it,  but  that  I  require  time  for  reflec- 
tion before  I  return  a  positive  answer  to  your  proposi- 
tion.' 

"  As  he  ceased  speaking  the  Emperor  rang  a  silver 
bell  that  -was  placed  near  him,  upon  which  1  bowed 
profoundly,  and  withdrew. 

"  '  Well !'  exclaimed  N anxiously,  as  he  saw  me 

approach ;  '  have  you  been  successful  V 

"  *  Yes  and  no,'  I  answered,  with  as  much  composure 
as  I  could  command ;  '  the  Emperor  approves  my  plan, 
but  he  cannot  at  present  give  his  attention  to  it ;  nor 
can  I  venture  to  hope  that  he  will  do  so  for  some  time 
to  come.  Nevertheless,  I  believe  that  all  will  end 
favorably,  and  I  need  not  say  that  I  shall  only  be  too 
happy  to  prove  to  you  that  I  am  not  ungrateful. 
Meanwhile,  do  me  the  favor  to  accept  this  earnest  of 
my  good  will.' 

"  As  1  spoke  I  placed  in  his  hand  a  purse  containing 
a  hundred  [N^apoleons,  which  he  accepted  with  evident 
satisfaction ;    and   when  I  had  laid  aside  the  livery, 


284  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

which  appeared  to  burn  into  my  flesh  liJ^e  the  fabled 
garment  of  I^essus,  he  accompanied  me  to  the  outer 
gate  of  the  Imperial  palace,  where  we  parted  for  the 
night. 

"I  waited  several  days,  during  which  I  heard 
nothing  from  N ,  upon  whose  not  entirely  disinter- 
ested zeal  I  felt  convinced  that  I  could  thoroughly 
rely ;  still  trusting  to  obtain  a  second  audience  of  the 
Emperor,  and  resolved,  in  my  uncertainty,  not  to 
break  the  seal  of  the  Imperial  instructions,  lest  I 
should  appear  to  have  been  eager  to  possess  myself  of 
the  secrets  of  my  Sovereign. 

"  A  week  went  by. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  eighth  day  an  officer  of  the 
Hungarian  guard,  in  his  magnificent  and  gem-em- 
broidered uniform,  entered  my  apartment;  and  after 
having  satisfied  himself  of  my  identity,  said  courte- 
ously : — 

"  '  Monsieur,  the  person  from  whom  you  are  await- 
ing an  answer  has  instructed  me  to  inform  you  that  his 
position  will  not  permit  him  to  receive  you  as  you 
desire.  K  iJie  merchant  of  whom  you  are  the  agent 
should  consent  that  his  proposition  shall  be  submitted 
to  the  discussion  of  the  lawyers  employed  by  the  other 
party,  the  business  may  be  pursued ;  but  otherwise  it 
is  impossible.' 

"  I  bowed  in  silence.  The  rupture  was  complete  ; 
and  most  sincerely  did  I  congratulate  myself  that  I  had 
not  yielded  to  the  temptation  which  had  so  frequently 
impelled  me  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  the  instructions 
by  which  I  was  to  have  been  guided  in  the  event  of 
success.     That  I  had  most  signally  failed  in  my  mission 


THE  TWO  EMPERORS.  i       285 

I  was  painfully  aware;  and  yet  I  could  not  blame 
myself.  I  had  been  driven  blindfold  and  handbound 
into  a  difficult  position,  where  the  eyes  of  Argus  and 
the  heads  of  Briareus  would  scarcely  have  sufficed  me ; 
but  I  had  resided  at  court  long  enough  to  know  that 
with  princes,  success  is  only  a  duty  fulfilled,  while 
failure  is  a  crime  to  be  expiated  and  atoned ;  and  I  con- 
sequently felt  that  all  the  bright  visions  in  which  I 
had  indulged  on  my  departure  from  France  had  crum- 
bled into  nothingness. 

"  Having  nothing  more  to  do  in  Vienna,  I  resolved 
to  return  without  further  delay  to  Paris,  to  report  the 
unfavorable  issue  of  my  mission ;  and,  even  amid  my 
annoyance,  I  could  not  repress  a  smile  as  I  remarked 
the  astonishment  of  my  friend  the  ambassador  when  I 
waited  on  him  to  announce  my  departure,  and  that  he 
was  compelled  to  credit  the  fact  that  I  had  not  visited 
Vienna  for  the  purpose  of  supereeding  him  in  his 
office,  but  simply  to  sojourn  in  the  German  capital  a 
sufficient  time  to  enable  me  to  inspect  its  public 
monuments,  and  to  afford  myself  an  opportunity  of 
comparing  its  society  with  that  of  our  own  beautiful 
Paris. 

"  On  reaching  home,  which  I  did  by  the  most  direct 
route  that  I  could  follow,  in  order  to  render  up  an 
account  of  ray  mission  with  as  little  delay  as  possible? 
I  ascertained  that  Xapoleon  was  driving  in  the  Bois  de 
Boulogne  ;  and  I  was  already  preparing  to  follow  him, 
when,  on  glancing  from  my  window,  I  saw  the  tri-^ 
colored  flag  flying  from  the  dome  of  the  Tuileries,  a 
sure  sign  that  he  had  returned  to  the  palace.  I  felt 
fevered  and  travelworn,  and  it  was  with  considerable 


286  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

trepidation  that  I  descended  the  stairs  of  my  hotel,  and 
prepared  for  the  forthcoming  interview.  As  I  reached 
the  court  of  the  palace,  ]^apoleon  was  alighting  from 
his  carriage,  and  motioned  me  to  follow  him. 

"  ^  You  have  failed  in  your  embassy.  Monsieur ;'  he 
said  abruptly,  as  soon  as  we  were  alone. 

"  ^  I  have,  Sire  ;  and  I  accordingly  return  your  notes 
intact ;'  I  replied,  as  I  handed  to  him  with  a  profound 
obeisance  the  unsealed  packet  which  had  been  com- 
mitted to  my  discretion. 

"  He  took  it  hastily,  and  examined  it  so  closely  that 
I  felt  the  hot  blood  rush  to  my  forehead ;  but  I  re- 
mained motionless,  and  did  not  utter  a  syllable.  Nor 
was  I  singular  in  my  emotion  at  that  moment,  for  the 
Emperor  had  no  sooner  satisfied  himself  that  I  had  not 
deceived  him,  than  his  brow  became  dark,  his  lips  qui- 
vered, and,  by  a  convulsive  movement,  he  crushed  the 
papers  in  his  hand,  muttering  to  himself:  ^Ah!  they 
want  war,  do  they  ?  They  shall  have  it — but  they  will 
repent.     I  offered  them — ' 

"  Then  suddenly  recollecting  my  presence,  he  became 
preternaturally  calm  as  if  by  enchantment ;  and  turn- 
ing towards  me,  said  in  his  habitually  steady  voice  : — 

"  ^  Monsieur,  I  am  satisfied  with  your  zeal,  but  you 
are  not  fortunate.  Retain  the  sum  which  I  placed  in 
your  hands,  as  some  small  return  for  the  fatigue  and 
anxiety  that  you  have  undergone.  I  will  take  care  of 
you.'' 

"These  last  words  were  those  commonly  used  by 
ISTapoleon  towards  such  persons  as  he  designed  to  honor 
with  his  protection  ;  and  he  never  forfeited  his  pledge. 
I  was  consequently  not  sui-prised  when,  some  time  sub- 


THE  DRAMA   OF   WAR.  287 

sequently,  in  addition  to  the  magnificent  present  which 
I  had  already  received,  the  Grand-Mai-slial  of  the  palace 
remitted  to  me,  in  the  name  of  his  Imperial  master,  a 
gold  box  enriched  with  diamonds,  valued  at  thirty-six 
thousand  livres  ;  nor  even  when  a  few  months  later  he 
bestowed  upon  me  a  majorat  of  fifteen  thousand  annual 
francs. 

"  Magnificent  in  all  his  ideas.  Napoleon  never  suf- 
fered the  slightest  service  to  remain  unrewarded.  He 
left  it  to  less  powerful  and  less  high-minded  sovereigns 
to  accept  any  evidence  of  good-will  or  respect  without 
acknowledgment ;  and  thus,  if  he  were  served  with  zeal 
and  devotion — and  assuredly  no  monarch  in  Europe 
ever  experienced  more — although  he  occasionally  met 
with  ingratitude,  and  even  treachery,  the  blame  of  such 
defection  rested  upon  those  by  whom  he  was  thus  be- 
trayed, and  could  never  be  traced  to  any  deficiency  of 
high  and  generous  feeling  6n  his  own  part." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


THE   DRAMA   OF   WAR. 


The  frightful  battle  of  Essling,  after  having  lasted  for 
thirty  consecutive  hours,  was  drawing  to  a  close.  Tlie 
havoc  had  been  immense  in  the  French  army ;  generals, 
officers  of  inferior  rank,  and  an  almost  countless  num- 
ber of  troops  lay  dead  upon  the  field.  The  artillery  and 
infantry  had  almost  exhausted  their  ammunition ;  the 


288  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH   HISTORY. 

cannon  were  dismounted ;  and  tlie  horses  killed.  For 
some*time  the  firing  had  become  gradually  fainter,  and 
during  the  evening  the  opposing  armies  were  evidently 
pursuing  their  work  of  slaughter  rather  from  a  feeling 
of  reluctance  on  either  side  to  be  the  first  to  suspend 
hostilities,  than  from  any  hope  of  a  decisive  termina- 
tion of  the  battle. 

K'apoleon  had  become  convinced  of  the  impossibility 
of  carrying  out,  under  such  circumstances,  the  execu- 
tion of  his  great  project;  and  consequently  resolved  to 
defer  it  until  he  had  strengthened  the  bridges,  and  col- 
lected his  troops  in  the  Island  of  Lobau  as  in  a  vast 
entrenched  camp.  He  had  already  determined  on  this 
modification  of  his  original  design  ;  but  before  issuing 
his  orders  for  the  retrograde  movement,  he  rode  rapidly 
along  the  right  bank  of  the  island  to  ascertain  to  what 
advantage  he  could  turn  the  position,  as  well  as  what 
it  was  probable  that  the  enemy  might  attempt  in  order 
to  dislodge  him ;  and  then,  satisfied  that  he  should  be 
enabled  to  efiect  his  object,  he  returned  to  the  small 
bridge  to  overlook  the  necessary  preparations  for  the 
retreat.  He  several  times  sent  for  Massdna  ;  but  the 
fate  of  Aspern  appearing  to  depend  on  the  presence  of 
the  Marshal,  he  could  not  quit  that  important  post  till 
near  seven  o'clock,  when  the  Emperor  at  length  assem- 
bled all  his  principal  ofiicers,  and  desired  that  each 
would  frankly  state  his  opinion  of  the  situation  of  the 
army.  They  would  but  admit  that  it  was  critical  in  the 
extreme  ;  and  they  were  unanimous  in  their  advice  that 
such  of  the  troops  as  had  been  already  engaged  should 
be  placed  in  safety  on  the  right  bank.  "  And  ;"  added 
Massena ;  "  I  will  undertake  to  cut  my  way,  should  it 


THE  DBAMA  OF  WAR.  289 

be  necessary,  through  the  enemy's  army,  or  to  hold  my 
ground,  if  I  am  required  to  take  my  station  on  the 
shores  of  the  Lobau." 

"  While  I ;"  exclaimed  Davoust ;  "  if  I  am  entrusted 
with  the  command  of  the  3rd  corps,  will  keep  the  Arch- 
duke Charles  in  check,  should  he  make  his  appearance 
on  the  right  bank,  and  thus  secure  time  to  reconstruct 
the  bridges." 

Napoleon,  delighted  at  the  ardor  of  his  marshals, 
smiled  calmly  as  he  replied  :  "  You  wish  to  repass  the 
Danube — but  how  is  it  to  be  done  ?  Are  not  all  the 
small  bridges  destroyed  ?  Had  not  such  been  the  case 
should  we  not  ere  now  have  been  victorious,  and  already 
far  from  tliis  ?  "We  could,  it  is  true,  embark  both  men 
and  horses  on  board  the  boats ;  but  what  would  be- 
come of  the  artillery  ?  Can  we  abandon  onr  wounded  ? 
Shall  we  add  to  the  losses  of  the  last  two  days  that  of 
so  many  brave  men  who  have  fought- and  bled  in  the 
same  cause,  and  those  who  are  still  wandering  in  the 
woods,  unable  to  rejoin  us  ?  Shall  we  thus  admit  alike 
to  the  enemy  and  to  all  Europe  that  the  conquerors  are 
conquered  in  their  turn  ?  And  if  the  Archduke,  more 
vain  of  our  retreat  than  of  his  assumed  success,  crosses 
the  Danube  behind  us  at  TuUn,  at  Krems,  and  at  Linty 
— if  he  consolidates  his  several  corps,  where  shall  we 
be  able  to  retire  ?  Must  it  be  in  the  positions  which  I 
have  entrenched  on  the  Trann,  the  Inn,  and  the  Lech  ? 
No — we  must  advance  to  the  Rhine — for  those  allies 
for  whom  we  are  indebted  to  victory  and  success,  an 
apparent  defeat  would  render  lukewarm,  or  even  hos- 
tile. We  must  remain  where  we  are  ;  we  must  menace 
an  enemy  accustomed  to  fear  us,  and  keep  him  in  our 

13 


290  EPISODES  OF   FEENCH  HISTORY. 

front.  Before  he  has  determined  on  his  plan  of  opera- 
tions, or  has  had  time  to  test  its  efficacy,  the  bridges 
must  be  repaired  in  a  sufficiently  solid  manner  to  secure 
us  against  all  accidents.  The  different  corps  of  the 
army  may  consolidate  themselves,  and  protect  both 
shores  ;  and,  moreover,  the  army  of  Italy,  which  will 
be  shortly  followed  by  Lefevre,  will  strengthen  us  by 
its  numerical  force,  and  by  the  prestige  of  its  victories ; 
while  it  will,  in  a  few  days,  open  for  us  through  Styria 
a  line  of  communication  which  is  still  closed,  and  which 
will  even  replace  that  of  Bavaria  ;  and  then  indeed  we 
shall  be  entire  masters  of  all  future  operations." 

A  murmur  of  assent  and  admiration  welcomed  his 
words. 

"  Massena ;"  pursued  Napoleon,  after  the  pause  of  a 
moment,  and  with  the  smile  which  exercised  so  extra- 
ordinary a  fascination  over  all  whom  he  sought  to 
conciliate  ;  "  you  will  complete  what  you  have  so  glo- 
riously begun ;  you  alone  possess  tlie  power  to  keep 
the  Archduke  inactive  before  us.  I  have  thoroughly 
examined  the  island  of  Lobau,  and  the  ground  is  favor- 
able for  you." 

As  the  Emperor  ceased  speaking,  the  council  broke 
up,  and  the  several  members  of  the  military  court 
moved  away,  until  Napoleon  remained  alone  with  Mas- 
sena, when  they  slowly  proceeded  to  the  small  bridge, 
making  such  arrangements  as  the  difficulties  of  their 
position  exacted.  It  was  decided  that  on  the  following 
morning,  as  early  as  two  o'clock,  the  troops  should 
defile,  that  the  pontoon  bridge  should  be  preserved, 
and  that  the  entrenchments  at  its  entrance  should  be 
efficiently  reinforced ;  the  command  of  all  the  troops 


THE  DRAMA  OF  WAR.  291 

on  the  left  bank,  as  well  as  those  then  occupying  the 
Danubian  islands,  being  confided  to  Mass^na. 

Scarcely  had  this  important  point  been  determined 
when  a  monmful  procession  was  seen  advancing;  and 
Marshal  Lannes,  mortally  wounded,  was  borne  towards 
the  Emperor.  He  was  carried  on  a  litter  borne  by  a 
party  of  grenadiers,  down  whose  rugged  cheeks  tears 
were  coursing  each  other  like  rain,  and  surrounded  by  his 
officers ; — or  rather,  such  as  still  survived — all  of  whom 
were  more  or  less  wounded.  Tlie  dying  warrior  had 
had  both  his  knees  broken  by  a  cannon  ball.  The 
army  was  about  to  lose  one  of  its  most  gallant  leaders, 
France  one  of  her  proudest  illustrations,  and  Kapoleon 
a  friend  full  of  zeal  and  devotion,  by  whom  he  had 
never  been  betrayed. 

As  nothing  can  be  uninteresting  or  unimportant 
which  relates  to  the  last  moments  of  a  man  whose  name 
has  become  historical,  but  whose  memory  has  been 
wronged  by  several  authors,  some  of  whom  wrote  in 
ignorance  of  the  truth,  and  some  with  the  ungenerous 
bitterness  of  prejudice,  it  is  a  pleasant  task  to  be 
enabled  to  confute  both  the  one  and  the  other  by  a 
plain  and  simple  statement  of  facts. 

Between  three  and  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
Lannes  was  proceeding  on  foot  in  the  rear  of  the  rifle- 
men stationed  between  Esslingand  Aspem,  encouraging 
them  by  his  presence,  and  accompanied  by  General 
Pouzet  under  whom  he  had  studied  the  art  of  war,  and 
who  had  returned  with  him  from  Spain,  when  a  spent 
ball  struck  the  general  on  the  forehead,  and  he  fell  dead 
at  the  feet  of  his  friend.  Lannes,  totally  overcome  by 
the  catastrophe,  after  a  last  look  at  the  brave  man  so 


292  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

suddenly  cut  off,  moved  away  slowly  towards  Essling ; 
and  having  no  other  duty  to  perform  save  that  of  pre- 
serving his  force  against  the  feeble  attacks  of  the  Arch- 
duke, he  seated  himself  in  the  valley  which  extends 
between  the  two  villages,  and  gave  a  free  course  to  his 
grief  Shortly  afterwards  some  soldiers  bearing  the 
body  of  Pouzet  approached  him,  upon  which  he  rose 
and  walked  on,  exclaiming:  "This  fearful  sight  will 
haunt  me  everywhere !"  But  ere  long,  crushed  and 
exhausted  by  the  intensity  of  his  sorrow,  he  again  seated 
himself  upon  the  ground,  where  he  still  remained  sur- 
rounded by  those  of  his  officers  who  had  escaped  with 
life,  when  a  three-pounder,  which  had  been  fired  from 
Enzersdorf,  struck  the  ground,  and  after  two  or  three 
bounds,  fell  heavily  upon  his  knees,  as  he  sat  with 
his  legs  crossed  over  each  other. 

The  Emperor  no  sooner  saw  the  litter  approach,  and 
ascertained  the  identity  of  its  occupant,  than  he  rushed 
forward,  threw  himself  upon  the  neck  of  his  dying 
friend,  and  embraced  him  fervently. 
..  "  Lannes — my  dear  Lannes  ;"  he  sobbed  out,  scarcely 
able  to  articulate  from  the  violence  of  his  emotion ;  "  do 
you  recognise  me  ?  It  is  the  Emperor — ^it  is  Bonaparte. 
— My  friend — Lannes — look  up — we  will  save  you 
yet." 

The  wounded  man  by  a  painful  effort  opened  his 
eyes,  looked  for  an  instant  earnestly  in  the  face  of  his 
sovereign,  and  gasped  out  : — 

"  Sire,  I  should  wish  to  live  if  I  could  still  serve  you 
— and  France — but  I  believe — 1  think — that  in  an  hour 
hence — you  will  have  lost  one  who  loved  you  well." 

Napoleon,  on  his  knees  beside  the  expiring  hero, 


THE   DRAMA  OF  WAR.  293 

wept  bitterly.  Great  as  had  been  his  losses  in  those 
two  eventful  days,  he  had  experienced  none  which  had 
so  powerfully  aflfected  him  as  the  mortal  hurt  of  the 
brave  and  gallant  Lannes ;  and  as  the  latter  was  once 
more  carefully  lifted  from  the  ground  by  his  bearers, 
and  slowly  conveyed  to  Enzersdorf,  where  he  was  to 
undergo  the  amputation  of  both  his  legs.  Napoleon, 
turning  towards  Massena,  said  mournfully :  "  I  must 
have  been  heart-struck  indeed  to-day  to  have  been  able 
to  think  for  an  instant  of  anything  save  the  precarious 
position  of  my  army." 

The  wounded  marshal  was  not  able  to  support  the 
fatigue  of  crossing  the  Danube  until  the  morning  of 
the  23rd ;  but  his  great  anxiety  to  ascertain  where  a 
certain  Count  Palfi,  who  had,  like  himself,  undergone 
amputation,  had  procured  mechanical  legs  with  which 
he  wj\^  enabled  to  keep  his  seat  on  horseback,  and  to  re- 
sume his  command,  induced  him  on  the  evening  of  the 
22d  to  order  his  equipages  to  be  halted  on  the  fron- 
tier, in  the  vain  hope  that  he  should  be  sufficiently 
recovered  to  rejoin  the  corps  d'armee  which  he  had  so 
recently  led,  before  the  close  of  the  Austrian  campaign, 
which  was  speedily  anticipated. 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  24:th  he  became  delirious, 
and  continued  so  until  the  30th,  on  which  day  he  w^as 
released  from  his  sufferings.  Throughout  the  whole  of 
his  hallucinations  he  imagined  himself  to  be  leading  his 
men  to  battle,  issued  orders  to  his  officers,  and  entreated 
the  Emperor  to  send  him  reinforcements,  utterly  un- 
conscious that  the  individual  whom  he  invoked  was 
standing  beside  him.  Night  and  morning  during  those 
seven  frightful  days  Napoleon  regularly  visited  him ; 


294  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

but  he  was  never  left  alone  with  him  for  an  instant ; 
and  it  is  a  fact,  authenticated  by  those  who  were  con- 
stantly with  him  to  the  last,  that  the  words  attributed 
to  the  Marshal  were  never  uttered,  but  that  he  died  in 
all  honor  and  loyalty  to  the  Emperor,  and  to  France. 

Here  is  an  anecdote,  also  connected  with  the  battle 
of  Essling,  which  has  appeared  to  us  worthy  of  pre- 
servation. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1813,  after  the 
defeat  at  Moscow,  Kapoleon,  being  anxious  to  judge 
for  himself  of  the  popular  feeling  towards  him,  resolved 
to  traverse  all  the  faubourgs  of  Paris,  and  to  commence 
with  that  of  Saint-Antoine.  Accordingly,  on  a  day 
when  the  Grand-Marshal  of  the  palace  being  indisposed 
he  was  attended  only  by  an  aide-de-camp,  he  got  into 
a  hackney-coach,  and  desired  the  driver  to  take  him  to 
the  Place  de  la  Bastille,  where  he  alighted,  and  then 
proceeded  on  foot  to  the  rue  de  Charonne.  On  reach- 
ing the  end  of  the  street,  he  stopped  to  watch  some 
masons  who  were  at  work  on  a  large  building  in  pro- 
cess of  erection ;  and  a  minute  or  two  afterwards  he 
remarked  that  one  among  them  suddenly  ceased  his 
labor,  and  stood  motionless  before  him. 

"  Do  you  recognise  me  ?"  he  asked  promptly,  moving 
a  pace  or  two  nearer  to  the  man. 

"  Do  I  recognise  my  Emperor  !"  was  the  rejoinder,  as 
the  mason  raised  the  back  of  his  right  hand  to  his  fore- 
head, and  suffered  the  tool  which  he  held  to  fall  to  the 
ground  ;  "  Oh,  I  shall  do  so  to  my  dying  day." 

"  And  I,  too,  know  you,"  replied  Napoleon,  his 
wonderful  memory  never  being  at  fault  for  an  instant ; 
"  your  name  is  Gregoire  Boivin,  and  you  were  a  corpo- 


THE  DRAMA  OF  WAR.  295 

ral  in  the  second  regiment  of  my  foot-guards.  You 
received  two  wounds  at  tlie  battle  of  Essling ;  and  at 
the  request  of  your  colonel  I  gave  you  a  decoration. 
Some  time  subsequently  I  sanctioned  your  admission 
into  the  hotel  des  Invalides ;  how  comes  it  then  that  I 
see  you  here  to-day  ?'' 

Gregoire  remained  as  immovable  as  a  statue,  and  did 
not  utter  a  word. 

"  I  am  to  understand  that  you  were  expelled,  am  I 
not  ?"  pursued  the  Emperor ;  "  what  fault  had  you 
committed  ?" 

Still  there  was  no  reply. 

"  You  do  not  remember,  perhaps,"  said  Napoleon ; 
"  well  then,  I  will  tell  you ;  and  you  know  that  I  sel- 
dom forget  anything.  One  morning,  after  having 
acted  like  a  fool,  you  talked  like  a  lunatic." 

"  Oh,  mon  Emj^ereur .'"  exclaimed  the  ex-guards- 
man, raising  his  head  proudly  ;  "  You  cannot  call  them 
the  words  of  a  madman." 

"  I  do  so  most  assuredly ;"  persisted  Kapoleon ; 
"  did  you  not  shout  like  a  maniac.  Long  live  the  Re- 
public ?" 

"  So  I  did,  moil  Empet^eur,  for  I  remembered  that  I 
had  been  one  of  the  volunteers  of  '93 ;  and  as  I  had 
been  a  little  tipsy  overnight,  and  was  still  flurried  in 
my  head  in  the  morning,  I  could  not  help  shouting." 

"  Yes ;  long  live  the  Republic !  And  pray  what 
was  your  Republic  ?  What  was  it  like  ?  You  were 
expelled,  and  you  richly  merited  your  fate." 

"  I  do  not  deny  it,  mon  Empereur  ;"  replied  Gregoire 
sheepishly  ;  "  but  you  must  own  that  when  a  man  loves 
you  as  I  do,  when  he  has  fought  for  France  and  his 


296        EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Emperor  as  I  have  done,  when  he  has  a  wife  and  child- 
ren as  in  mj  case,  it  is  very  hard  to  find  himself  with- 
out bread  or  board  only  because  he  drank  a  glass  or 
two  of  wine  too  much." 

As  he  uttered  these  words,  the  mason  could  not 
restrain  two  large  tears,  which  rolled  down  his  sun- 
burnt and  furrowed  cheeks,  and  which  were  not  with- 
out their  effect  upon  Kapoleon. 

"  Ah !"  he  exclaimed ;  "  you  are  the  father  of  a 
family.  That  alters  the  case.  Why  did  you  not  say  so 
at  once  ?    What  age  is  your  eldest." 

"  I  have  two  eldests ;"  replied  Gregoire  ;  "  that  is  to 
say,  they  are  twins,  and  will  both  j  oin  the  army  next  year." 

"  Good  ;"  said  the  Emperor  ;  "  and  next,  what  have 
you  done  with  your  cross  ?" 

"My  cross;"  repeated  the  ex-guardsman,  opening 
his  vest,  and  displaying  a  bit  of  dirty  and  almost  color- 
less ribbon  ;  "  my  cross!  Absent  by  reason  of  lyings-in 
and  other  urgent  domestic  necessities ;  but  as  regards 
the  ribbon — Present.  The  very  identical  one  that  my 
colonel  gave  me  on  j)arade ;  only  it  has  served  its 
time,  and  is  invalided  like  its  owner." 

After  looking  steadily  at  his  old  follower  for  an  in- 
stant, the  Emperor  took  fifteen  Napoleons  from  the 
purse  of  his  aide-de-camp,  and  placed  them  in  the  hand 
of  the  mason. 

"  Here,"  he  said,  "  are  the  means  of  renewing  the  rib- 
bon, and  of  drinking  my  health  with  your  comrades ; 
but  in  moderation,  you  understand ;  and  if,  under  the 
influence  of  wine,  you  should  again  feel  inclined  to  be 
noisy,  let  your  cry  be,  *  Long  live  France  !'  That  is  a 
shout  that  will  find  many  echoes,  and  which  no  one 


THE  DRAMA  OF  WAR.  297 

will  object  to.  Come  to  me  to-morrow  at  the  Tuileries  ; 
ask  to  speak  to  the  aide-de-camp  on  duty,  and  tell  the 
porter  that  you  are  there  by  my  ordere  :  he  will  let  you 
pass.  Tliere,  remain  where  you  are,  and  be  silent,  as  1 
do  not  wish  your  fellow-workmen  to  know  that  I  am 
here." 

On  the  following  day,  Gregoire  Boivin  again  received 
an  authorisation  of  admission  to  tlie  hotel  des  Invalides ; 
for  as  he  had  no  pension,  the  Emperor  would  not  allow 
one  of  liis  old  soldiers  to  suffer  want  because,  as  he  ex- 
pressed it,  he  had,  while  intoxicated,  uttered  shouts 
which  h^d  not  common  sense. 

"While  Bonaparte  was  General-in-Chief  of  the  army 
of  Italy,  he  attached  himself  particularly  to  a  few  brave 
old  soldiers,  whom  he  was  always  pleased  to  meet  in 
his  ranks  after  he  became  their  Emperor.  Among 
these  was  a  certain  veteran  named  Lambert,  who  had 
grown  grey  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  national  stan- 
dards, and  who  had  been  engaged  in  every  campaign 
of  the  revolution. 

A  few  days  before  the  battle  of  Lodi,  as  Bonaparte 
was  visiting  his  advanced  posts,  he  expressed  his  an- 
noyance on  hearing  several  shots  fired,  and  exclaimed 
angrily : — 

"  I  will  not  have  the  powder  wasted  in  firing  at  the 
bushes." 

These  words  had  scarcely  escaped  his  lips,  when  the 
discharge  of  a  score  of  carbines  whistled  in  his  ears ; 
and  a  few  seconds  afterwards,  when  he  had  recovered 
from  his  surprise,  he  saw  that  the  veteran  Lambert,  dur- 
ing the  firing,  had  made  a  rampart  for  him  with  his 
own  body. 

13* 


298  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  What  are  jou  doing  here  ?"  asked  the  General. 

"  I  am  waiting  until  you  give  me  leave  to  knock  one 
of  those  ravens  oif  his  perch." 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  they  are  there  waiting  for 
you  ?     Return  to  your  rank." 

"  General,  they  are  in  the  ravine,  as  they  were  yes- 
terday." 

"  The  greater  the  reason  that  you  should  not  remain 
here.     They  may  hit  you." 

''  Ko  fear  of  that.  Had  they  known  how  to  take 
aim,  they  would  already  have  killed  us  both  ;  first  me, 
and  then  you." 

"  Could  you  pick  off  their  leader  ?" 

"  Only  let  me  try,  and  I  will  promise  to  provide  for 
him." 

"  Well ;  as  you  are  so  anxious  to  prove  your  skill, 
make  the  attempt." 

The  soldier  saluted,  and  set  off  on  his  self-appointed 
task. 

At  the  end  of  an  hour  and  a  half — during  the  latter 
part  of  which  time,  from  the  perpetual  firing  that  had 
been  heard,  Bonaparte  began  to  apprehend  that  Lam- 
bert had  fallen  a  sacrifice  to  his  own  rashness,  and  to 
regret  that  he  had  exposed  a  brave  man  to  almost  cer- 
tain death — he  suddenly  reappeared. 

"  That  is  over.  General ;"  he  said,  with  a  low  chuckle ; 
"  I  told  you  that  the  awkward  brutes  did  not  know  how 
to  handle  their  carbines ;  and  now  they  have  nothing 
more  to  do  but  to  bury  their  captain." 

"  What  is  your  name  ?"  asked  Bonaparte. 

"  Ambroise  Lambert,  of  Pontoise,  department  of  the 
Seine  and  Ouse,  General." 


THE   DRAMA   OF   WAR.  299 

"lam  very  glad,"  said  the  young  commander  ;  "that 
you  did  not  meet  with  the  same  fate  as  their  officer.  I 
will  not  forget  you." 

"  Thank  you,  General ;  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  you 
say  so,"  was  the  unsophisticated  reply. 

Lambert  accompanied  Bonaparte  to  Egypt,  but  he 
was  not  again  in  his  presence  until  after  the  siege  of 
Sain t-Jean-d' Acre  ;  when,  although  he  had  received  a 
severe  wound  on  the  head,  he  persisted  in  retaining  his 
place  in  the  ranks  while  Bonaparte  passed  his  brigade 
in  review. 

"  Well,  Lambert ;"  he  said,  as  he  stopped  before 
him  ;  "  these  fellows  seem  to  have  been  better  marks- 
men than  those  at  Lodi.  They  have  played  you  rather 
a  sorry  jest  this  time." 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  hot  enough  in  all  ways  in  this 
cursed  country,  General;"  was  the  rejoinder;  "luckily 
I  have  suffered  for  you,  so  I  have  nothing  to  regret." 

"  How  do  you  expect  me  to  repay  you  for  all  your 
Bufferings  ?" 

"  By  thanking  me,  as  I  thanked  you  that  other  time 
— ^you  remember  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  remember  the  circumstance  perfectly ;  but 
to-day  I  shall  offer  my  thanks  in  the  shape  of  a  sword 
of  honor." 

"It  will  be  accepted,  General.  That  will  be  the 
very  thing  I  should  like  best." 

Throughout  all  the  succeeding  years,  Napoleon  never 
lost  sight  of  Lambert,  who  was  one  of  his  especial  favor- 
ites ;  but  the  last  time  they  ever  met  was  on  a  fatal  day 
for  France — it  was  on  the  passage  of  the  Beresina. 

"  So  you  are  turned  ferryman  on  this  occasion  ?"  he 


800  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

said  kindly ;  "  when  there  is  duty  to  be  done  yon  are 
always  at  your  post." 

"  To  be  sure,  mon  Empereur  ;  where  should  I  be  ex- 
cept where  you  want  me  ?  But  this  is  not  fair  fighting, 
and  this  time  I  have  lost  my  nose." 

"  We  have  not  met  for  a  long  time  ;"  observed  Na- 
poleon. 

"  1^0,  Majeste^  the  last  time  was  on  the  hot  day  when 
w^e  accomplished  a  forced  march  ;  but  the  temperature 
has  changed  furiously  since  then." 

'-'  What !  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  are  cold  ?" 
exclaimed  the  Emperor  abruptly,  anxious  to  prevent 
him  from  expressing  his  full  meaning. 

"  I,  mon  Empereur  I  IN'ot  a  bit.  I  don't  feel  it, 
and  as  long  as  you  don't  complain,  I  am  comfortable 
enough.  Besides,  whenever  I  catch  a  sight  of  you  it 
warms  me." 

Three  days  afterwards  j^apoleon  learnt  that  Lambei-t 
had  been  frozen  to  death. 

"  I  shall  find  it  difiacult  to  replace  him ;"  he  said,  as 
he  dashed  a  tear  from  his  cheek  that  was  already  half 
congealed  into  an  icicle. 

Whenever  [N'apoleon  distributed  titles  or  decorations 
among  his  officers,  it  w^as  always  understood  that  they 
were  the  prelude  to  some  important  undertaking ;  and 
they  were  universally  succeeded  by  a  review  of  the 
newly-arrived  regiments,  and  by  a  harangue  to  the 
troops,  when  his  w^ords  never  failed  to  produce  a  magi- 
cal efiFect  upon  the  soldiers ;  but  of  all  the  exciting  and 
dramatic  scenes  which  were  constantly  witnessed  during 
each  campaign,  that  of  bestowing  the  eagles  op  ji  p^w 
regiment  was  the  most  impressive, 


THE  DRAMA  OF  WAR,  801 

On  the  day  appointed  for  this  ceremony,  at  which 
Napoleon  always  attended  in  person,  accompanied  by 
his  own  staft',  the  regiment  mustered  at  an  early  hour 
upon  the  selected  spot  in  triple  ranks,  forming  three 
sides  of  a  hollow  square,  the  fourth  being  left  open  for 
the  passage  of  the  Emperor  and  his  suite.  On  his  en- 
trance into  the  open  space,  his  marehals,  generals,  and 
other  attendants  stationed  themselves  in  single  file  on 
the  reserved  side  of  the  square  while  he  advanced  alone, 
mounted  on  one  of  his  favorite  chestnut-colored  chargers ; 
and  rendered  still  more  conspicuous  to  the  troops  by  the 
simplicity  of  his  dress,  which  formed  a  striking  contrast 
with  the  brilliantly-embroidered  uniforms  and  jewelled 
decorations  of  the  superior  officers. 

Having  received  the  orders  of  the  Emperor,  the 
Prince  of  Wagram  (in  his  quality  of  Lieutenant-Gene- 
ral)  alighted,  and  unfurled  the  colors  which  were  then 
withdrawn  from  their  leather  case;  the  colonel  of 
the  regiment  standing  on  his  right  hand,  with  his 
officers  beside  him  arranged  in  file  according  to  their 
respective  rank.  As  he  waved  the  standards  to  and 
fro  the  drums  beat  the  appel,  until  Marshal  Berthier 
received  the  eagle  from  the  officer  to  whose  charge  it 
had  been  confided,  and  advanced  a  few  paces  towards 
the  Emperor;  when  Napoleon,  withdrawing  his  hat, 
saluted  the  colors,  and  taking  off  his  glove,  raised  his 
right  hand  to  the  eagle,  and  in  a  solemn  and  emphatic 
voice  exclaimed : — 

"  Soldiers  !  To  you  I  entrust  the  French  eagle.  1 
confide  it  to  your  valor  and  patriotism.  It  will  be  at 
once  your  guide,  and  your  rallying  point.  You  swear 
never  to  abandon  it !      You  swear  alike  to  live  and  to 


302  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

die  for  it !  You  swear  to  prefer  death  to  the  dishonor 
of  seeing  it  torn  from  your  hands !  You  all  swear 
this?"  and  Kapoleon  uttered  the  last  interrogatory, 
**You  all  swear  this  ?"  in  so  marked  and  energetic  a 
manner  that  it  became  a  species  of  signal  at  which  the 
officers  waved  their  swords  in  the  air,  while  the  men 
shouted  in  unison :  "  Yes,  yes ;  we  swear  it !"  The 
eagle  was  then  delivered  to  the  standard-bearer  of  the 
regiment  by  Berthier ;  the  troops  formed  into  column, 
closed  their  ranks,  and  defiled  before  ]S"apoleon,  the 
bands  playing,  and  'the  air  rent  with  cries  of  "  Long 
live  the  Emperor!" 

The  review  was  succeeded  by  a  banquet,  given  by  the 
colonel  to  the  whole  of  his  officers,  while  double  rations 
both  of  food  and  brandy  were  distributed  to  the  soldiers 
of  the  regiment ;  and  it  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add  that 
towards  evening  three-fourths  of  the  men  were  over- 
come by  enthusiasm  and  eau-de-vie,  so  vigorously  had 
they  shouted  and  drunk  to  the  health  of  the  Emperor. 

There  was  a  singular  consistency  in  the  character  of 
[Napoleon.  In  almost  every  incident  of  his  life,  it  will 
be  remarked  by  those  by  whom  it  has  been  closely 
studied,  that  he  invariably  appeared  to  have  acted 
upon  the  impulse  of  the  moment ;  when,  in  point  of 
fact,  he  had  compelled  himself  to  total  inaction  until 
his  intention  was  fully  matured,  and  the  strength  of  his 
will  was  pre-eminent  over  all  other  considerations. 
In  his  marriage  with  Josephine  this  peculiarity  was 
strongly  exhibited;  when  the  subject  was  first  mooted 
to  him  by  Barras  he  did  not  seek  to  conceal  his  repug- 
nance to  the  match,  but  when  he  had  once  consented  to 
make  her  his  wife,  nothing  could  exceed  his  anxiety 


THE  DRAMA  OF   WAR.  303 

to  see  it  terminated  ;  and  thus  it  was  with  every  other 
important,  as  well  as  with  every  other  minor,  detail  of  his 
extraordinary  career.  He  had  patience  to  consider  and 
to  combine ;  but  having  once  arrived  at  a  decision,  he 
was  nervously  eager  to  work  out  his  purpose. 

In  nothing  was  this  peculiarity  more  apparent  than 
in  his  military  movements ;  no  one  could  ever  guess 
beforehand  in  the  Imperial  palace  the  day,  or  even  the 
week,  when  he  designed  to  abandon  the  repose  of  his 
home-sojourn  for  a  foreign  campaign.  He  coniided  to 
none  the  designs  that  he  had  formed,  or  the  movements 
that  he  contemplated  ;  and  thus  it  was  essential  that 
both  the  civil  and  military  officers  of  his  household 
should  be  ready  at  a  moment's  notice  to  obey  his  orders, 
be  they  what  tliey  might ;  while  as  they  were  always 
ignorant  by  whom  it  was  his  intention  to  be  accompa- 
nied, as  well  as  their  final  destination,  all  were  alike 
compelled  patiently  to  await  the  transmission  of  his 
pleasure  through  the  Grand-Marshal. 

Like  the  late  Duke  of  York,  I^apoleon  was  peculi- 
arly partial  to  night-travelling ;  and  when  it  did  not 
militate  against  his  contemplated  operations,  he  gene- 
rally started  from  St.  Cloud  at  one  or  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  when  he  got  into  his  carriage,  accompanied 
only  by  the  Grand-Mai*shal  or  the  Grand-Equerry,  and 
frequently  accomplished  nearly  a  hundred  and  fifty 
leagues  in  less  than  six-and-thirty  hom*s.  Consequently, 
some  of  those  by  whom  he  was  to  have  been  joined  on 
the  way,  were  sure  to  remain  in  the  rear,  and  occasion- 
ally did  not  reach  head-quarters  until  the  day  after  a 
battle  had  been  fought,  and  sometimes  not  even  till  the 
close  of  the  campaign. 


304  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  It  was  time  you  made  yom*  appearance,  monsieur ;" 
he  would  exclaim  on  such  occasions  to  the  laggard : 
"  but  fortunately  we  have  been  able  to  dispense  with 
your  presence." 

Everything  at  head-quarters  was  done  in  equal  haste, 
but  still  all  those  who  composed  its  staff  were  ex- 
pected to  be  ready  on  the  instant,  to  fulfil  to  the  letter 
the  duties  of  their  several  ranks ;  as  halts,  forced 
marches,  changes  of  the  hours  previously  fixed  upon 
for  certain  operations,  as  well  as  in  those  of  routes  and 
temporary  quarters,  were  continually  occurring. 

On  the  other  hand  the  march  of  the  troops  was  often 
retarded  for  several  hours,  and  sometimes  even  for 
nearly  a  day,  while  the  General-in-chief  was  writ- 
ing in  his  cabinet  with  the  Duke  de  Bassano,  or  dictat- 
ing to  his  secretaries  ;  but  at  the  words  :  "  Now  then, 
the  carriage  !  To  your  saddles.  Messieurs !"  pronounced 
in  a  dry  and  abrupt  accent,  every  one  was  instantly  in 
motion  ;  and  then  only  did  the  marshals  and  generals 
ascertain  where  they  were  to  make  their  next  halt. 

The  grand-marshal,  and  in  the  event  of  his  absence, 
the  grand-equerry,  or  the  lieutenant-general,  shared  the 
carriage  of  the  Emperor ;  and  sometimes  all  three  at 
the  same  time.  One  of  the  mounted  aides-de-camp  on 
duty  rode  on  the  left  side  of  the  vehicle,  the  equerry 
on  duty  on  the  right ;  while  the  other  aides-de-camp, 
equerries,  orderly-officers,  pages,  and  prickers  with  led 
horses,  the  Mameluke  Rustan,  and  the  Imperial  ser- 
vants accompanied  the  carriage ;  and  were  followed  by 
an  escort  of  twenty-four  chasseurs  of  the  guard  {guides) 
under  the  command  of  an  officer ;  and  all  this  crowd 
of  horsemen  rushed  on  like  a  tempest,  travelling  at  a 


THE   DRAMA  OF  WAR.  305 

rapid  trot  day  and  night,  and  accomplishing  as  much 
as  eight,  ten,  and  even  twelve  leagues,  without  once 
drawing  bridle. 

Those  who  were  compelled  to  follow  this  first  division 
had  by  no  means  a  sinecure,  particularly  during  the 
darkness ;  and  where  the  road  chanced  to  be  narrow 
they  almost  rode  over  each  other  in  their  anxiety  to 
keep  up  with  the  Imperial  train.  Wo  be  to  him  who 
was  a  bad  rider,  or  who  was  ill-mounted,  as  in  the 
event  of  a  fall,  the  least  evil  which  he  had  to  anticipate 
was  to  be  trampled  upon  by  those  behind  him,  who 
never  slackened  their  pace  for  such  trifles.  It  was  like 
a  race  for  life  or  death,  under  the  hot  sun,  in  the  pour- 
ing rain,  over  the  frosty  ground,  in  the  snow-storms,  or 
amid  clouds  of  dust,  or  banks  of  fog  ;  and  this  only  to 
be  within  call  of  the  Emperor  should  he  require  their 
services.  Those  who  were  the  least  inconvenienced  on 
these  journeys  were  the  orderly  officer,  the  page,  the 
pricker,  and  the  two  chasseurs  who  preceded  the  car- 
riage by  about  fifty  or  sixty  paces ;  for  they  had  no 
reason  to  fear  anything  save  a  reprimand  from  Napo- 
leon, as  the  postilions  regulated  their  pace  according  to 
that  of  these  officials,  and  he  never  appeared  to  think 
that  he  could  travel  fast  enough. 

"  They  ride  like  wet  hens  !"  he  constantly  exclaimed, 
striking  the  side  of  the  vehicle  with  his  clenched  hands; 
"  we  shall  never  get  to  our  journey's  end  !"  and  finally 
he  would  let  down  the  glass,  and  himself  cry  im- 
patiently to  the  postilions :  "  Quicker,  quicker !  you 
fellows.  Are  you  asleep  ?  You  make  no  way :  put 
your  horses  to  their  speed." 

Whenever  !N'apoleon  alighted  from  his  carriage  all 


306  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

his  suite  immediately  sprang  from  their  saddles,  except 
the  chasseurs  of  the  guard,  who  remained  motionless 
until  the  Emperor  permitted  them  also  to  leave  their 
horses,  which  he  intimated  by  saying  abruptly  :  "  Dis- 
mount, Messieurs." 

These  delays  were  occasioned  by  his  wish  to  breathe 
for  a  few  instants  a  less  close  atmosphere  than  that  of 
the  caleche  in  which  he  travelled,  or  to  ascend  a  steep 
hill  on  foot.  When  he  desired  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy 
by  the  aid  of  his  glass,  he  invariably  steadied  it  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  page  on  duty  ;  and  as  this  new  species 
of  stand  did  not  always  maintain  its  immobility,  the 
Emperor  was  accustomed  to  say  good-humoredly,  but 
still  not  without  a  little  impatience  : 

*'  Be  still.  Monsieur,  don't  stir — do  you  hear  what  I 
say  to  you  ?  "Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  be  quiet  for 
a  few  instants,  if  indeed  such  a  thing  be  possible." 

Then,  when  he  was  weary  of  his  survey,  as  on  many 
occasions  there  was  literally  nothing  to  see,  he  would 
return  the  telescope  to  the  page,  giving  him  a  tap  with 
the  back  of  his  hand  on  the  cheek,  as  if  tacitly  to  re- 
ward him  for  his  obedience,  and  perhaps  a  little  for  the 
patience  which  he  had  exhibited. 

An  evening  or  two  before  the  battle  of  Lutzen,  the 
Emperor,  being  on  one  of  these  reconnoitring  expedi- 
tions, thought  that  he  perceived  in  the  distance  some 
extraordinary  object ;  and  turning  to  the  page  who 
stood  nearest  to  him,  he  said  imperatively  : — 

"  Gallop  off  as  hard  as  you  can.  Monsieur ;  and  as- 
certain what  it  is  that  I  see  yonder.  Be  back  imme- 
diately, as  I  shall  wait  for  you  here." 

The  page  vaulted  on  his  horse  in  an  instant,  drove 


THE   DRAMA  OF  WAR.  307 

the  spurs  into  its  flanks,  and  away  he  flew  like  the 
wind. 

*'  Tlie  boy  rides  like  a  centaur ! "  exclaimed  Napoleon 
to  Caulaincourt,  who  was  standing  beside  him  ;  but  the 
words  had  scarcely  passed  his  lips,  when  down  went 
horse  and  horseman,  rolling  one  over  the  other.  The 
Emperor  uttered  an  emphatic  Ah  !  forced  from  liim  by 
the  apprehension  that  the  poor  page  was  killed  ;  when 
to  his  astonishment  he  saw  him  scramble  up,  draw  the 
animal  towards  him  by  the  bridle,  which  he  had  not 
relinquished  in  his  fall,  mount  again,  and  resume  his 
wild  speed. 

"  Why,  the  lad  is  a  devil  I "  cried  the  Emperor 
admiringly ;  "  any  one  else  would  have  broken  both 
arms  and  legs :  but  as  for  him,  he  must  be  an  elastic 
ball." 

Not  a  quarter  of  an  hour  elapsed  before  the  persever- 
ing messenger  returned,  smothered  in  mud — for  it  was 
in  the  beginning  of  April ;  it  had  rained  heavily,  and 
the  ground  was  as  slippery  as  glass — ^his  face,  his  chest, 
and  his  whole  uniform  were  one  mass  of  dirt,  and  it 
would  have  been  impossible  to  recognise  him.  Without, 
however,  alluding  to  his  accident,  he  proceeded  to  in- 
form his  Imperial  master  of  the  result  of  his  mission, 
which  was  that  the  dark  group  discovered  by  Napoleon, 
and  which  he  had  believed  to  be  a  party  of  Cossacks 
bivouacked,  was  simply  a  clump  of  brushwood  stirred 
by  the  wind.  Mortified  by  his  mistake,  the  Emperor 
immediately  changed  the  subject. 

"  And  pray,  Monsieur ; "  he  asked  in  affected  dis- 
pleasure ;  "  what  do  ;v  ou  mean  by  presenting  yourself 
before  me  in  such  a  condition  ? " 


308  EPISODES  OF   FKENCH  HISTORY. 

"  Sire ; "  replied  the  boy,  who  was  evidently  much 
shaken  by  his  fall ;  "  in  order  to  execute  the  commands 
of  Your  Majesty  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  I  over-urged 
my  horse :  his  forelegs  gave  way ;  and — " 

"Precisely;"  said  ^Napoleon,  biting  his  lips  to  sup- 
press a  smile,  for  as  the  mud  dried  upon  the  unfor- 
tunate page,  his  appearance  became  every  moment 
more  ludicrous ;  "  and  so  because  your  horse  happened 
to  slip,  you  thought  proper  to  lose  your  seat.  I  sup- 
pose that  was  also  his  fault  ? " 

"  Sire ; "  stammered  the  youth  ;  "  I  can  really  assure 
Your  Majesty  that  it  was  not  mine." 

"I  was  sure  that  such  would  be  your  answer;" 
laughed  the  Emperor,  for  he  could  restrain  his  mirth 
no  longer ;  "  but  I  beg  to  tell  you.  Monsieur,  that  it 
was  your  fault ;  as,  although  I  directed  you  to  gallop, 
I  never  ordered  you  to  go  ventre  a  terre^  And  pleased 
with  his  own  pun,  he  added  kindly :  "  Never  mind ;  it 
will  be  nothing  at  all ;  go,  and  get  some  rest,  and  by 
to-morrow  we  shall  both  have  forgotten  the  whole 
affair." 

By  the  advice  of  a  surgeon,  the  page  was  forthwith 
bled,  but  he  could  not  leave  his  bed  for  several  days, 
he  was  so  severely  bruised  ;  and  as  he  saw  him  limp 
away,  Kapoleon  shook  his  head,  and  observed  regret- 
fully to  the  Prince  of  Neufchatel : — 

"  Only  see,  Berthier,  how  the  poor  boy  suffers,  from 
having  risked  his  life  to  obey  my  orders.  They  are  all 
alike!  However,  I  did  right  not  to  appear  to  pity 
him,  for  it  will  not  do  to  spoil  the  young  rascals." 

And  as  he  turned  away,  the  Marshal  heard  him 
murmur  beneath  his  breath  :  "  Poor  boy !    Poor  boy !" 


THE   DRABIA   OF   WAK.  309 

Before  any  serious  engagement,  or  whenever  circum- 
stances compelled  the  Emperor  to  remain  for  any  length 
of  time  in  the  open  air,  either  at  dawn  or  in  the  evening, 
tlic  piqucrs  and  servants  made  a  large  fire,  wliich  they 
perpetually  fed  with  an  enormous  quantity  of  wood ; 
thick  branches  of  trees,  ponderous  logs,  and  even  piles  of 
faggots  were  consumed  ;  and  this  fire  served  as  a  signal 
to  indicate  to  those  who  formed  the  staff  at  head-quar- 
ters the  precise  spot  where  Napoleon  had  taken  up  his 
station.  During  this  time,  Berthier,  Duroc,  or  Caulain- 
court  remained  constantly  near  him,  but  it  was  seldom 
that  any  other  individual,  whatever  might  be  his  rank, 
was  permitted  to  share  his  watch  ;  though  occasionally 
he  sent  for  an  ofiicer  from  whom  he  required  infonna- 
tion,  or  in  order  to  give  a  verbal  order,  or  to  dispatch  a 
messenger  to  one  of  his  marshals.  Every  one  remained 
fifty  or  sixty  paces  from  the  fire,  around  which  they 
formed  a  circle,  while  Napoleon  walked  to  and  fro  in 
the  open  space,  either  whistling  or  conversing  until  a 
gun  was  fired,  or  some  other  concerted  signal  given  by 
the  commanders  of  the  different  corps.  When  he  be- 
came wearied  by  delay  he  took  snuff,  tossed  about  the 
loose  pebbles  with  his  feet,  and  generally  urged  the 
flames  into  greater  violence  with  his  boots,  by  which 
process,  as  a  natural  consequence,  he  always  burnt 
them  all  at  the  extremities. 

"We  do  not  think  that  we  can  more  appositely  con- 
clude this  chapter  than  by  committing  to  our  pages  a 
very  striking  dialogue  upon  the  Art  of  War,  which 
took  place  between  General  Bonaparte,  after  his  fii-st 
campaign  in  Italy,  which  was  termhiated  by  the  treaty 
of  Campo-Formio,  and  Moreau,  whose  masterly  retreat 


310  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

had  excited  the  admiration  of  the  whole  army.  Even 
while  expressing  his  gratification  at  the  compliments 
of  his  Corsican  colleague,  Moreaii  in  some  sort  endea- 
vored to  excuse  himself  for  having  been  compelled  to 
fall  back  before  an  enemy  greatly  superior  in  numbers 
to  his  own  troops. 

"  "What  could  you  do  ? "  said  Bonaparte ;  "  our  forces 
were  too  much  separated ;  and  victory  must  always 
finally  remain  with  the  stronger  party." 

"  The  principle  is  materially  correct ; "  conceded  his 
companion;  "but  you  have,  nevertheless,  yourself 
proved  to  us  in  your  late  Italian  campaign  that  it  is 
not  infallible.  Has  it  not  often  been  apparent  that 
inferiority  of  numbers  may  be  amply  balanced  by 
courage,  experience,  discipline,  and  above  all  by  the 
talents  of  a  leader  ? " 

"  In  a  battle  I  admit  that  it  may  be  so,  but  rarely  in 
a  campaign  ; "  said  Bonaparte. 

"  In  that  case  you  reduce  the  Art  of  War  to  a  merely 
individual  and  simple  idea;"  expostulated  Moreau ; 
"  and  you  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  levy  more  troops 
than  your  enemy.  Of  what  utility,  under  such  a  con- 
viction, are  tactics  and  strategy ;  all  in  fact  that  has 
been  invented  and  imagined  to  compensate  for  the 
absence  of  commensurate  brute  force?" 

*'  Let  us  understand  one  another  ; "  exclaimed  Bona- 
parte hastily ;  "  I  am  far  from  seeking  to  establish  the 
notion  that,  with  an  army  inferior  in  number,  victories 
may  not  be  gained  over  the  mightier  mass  by  which  it 
is  opposed ;  but  those  victories  must  be,  and  ought  to 
be,  attributed  to  the  valor  and  discipline  of  the  troops, 
to  the  devotion  of  their  leaders,  and  perhaps  to  the 


THE  DRAMA  OF  WAR.  311 

genius  of  their  Gknoral-in-Chief.  If  those  victories  are 
decisive  the  honor  of  the  campaign  will  of  course 
remain  with  the  weaker  army;  but  should  the  war 
become  a  long  one,  should  it  last  for  several  years,  1 
repeat  that  the  lesser  number  must  infallibly  yield  at 
last  to  the  greater. 

"  Every  deviation  from  the  admitted  system  of  war- 
fare gives  an  advantage  to  him  who  first  adopts  it. 
Frederic  the  Great  triumphed  over  all  his  enemies 
because  he  brought  to  the  struggle  an  entirely  new 
system  of  warfare ;  because  he  opposed  to  the  irregular 
order  of  battle  pursued  by  his  predecessore  his  closely- 
calculated  tactics;  his  regular  organization  to  their 
imperfect  one,  and  his  vigorous  discipline  to  the  dis- 
orders tolerated  in  their  ranks. 

"  We  have  overcome  the  school  of  Frederic  because 
we  also  have  created  a  system.  To  his  methodical 
strategy,  to  his  unvarying  tactics,  all  whose  results 
could  be  foreseen,  we  have  opposed  rapid  marches  and 
unexpected  operations.  During  the  first  campaigns 
of  the  Republic,  the  enemy's  generals  strictly  followed 
the  example  of  Frederic ;  they  delayed  all  manifesta- 
tions of  hostility  until  their  plans  had  been  thoroughly 
decided;  and  never  commenced  their  march  before 
they  had  carefully  studied,  and  verified  by  maps,  every 
feature  of  the  country.  All  their  movements  were 
arranged  beforehand,  and  so,  consequently,  were  those 
of  the  oflScers  under  their  command;  and  whenever 
they  entered  into  action,  the  action  was  for  them  a 
mere  mathematical  problem  already  determined  on, 
and  then  and  there  to  be  practically  solved. 

"  What  did  we  oppose  to  these  calculations  ?    Simply 


312  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH   HISTORY. 

our  new  system.  The  enemy  had  regulated  our  marches 
by  stages ;  and,  according  to  their  previsions,  we  were 
to  arrive  on  a  certain  day  on  a  certain  spot  selected  by 
themselves ;  but  as  we  occasionally  accomplished  three 
of  these  stages  within  twenty -four  hours,  they  found  us 
close  to  them  three  days  before  they  had  anticipated 
our  presence,  and  on  a  field  whose  peculiarities  and 
facilities  th^y  had  not  had  time  to  study. 

"  These  learned  generals,  whenever  they  decided  on 
an  engagement,  regulated  their  advanced  lines  and 
their  reserve,  and  adopted  all  the  precautions  indicated 
to  them  by  the  science  of  war;  after  which  it  occa- 
sionally occurred  that  some  hot-headed  colonel  of  hus- 
sars, anxious  to  secure  the  epaulettes  of  a  general,  no 
sooner  remarked  any  wavering  in  the  execution  of  a 
manoeuvre,  than  he  flung  himself  with  seven  or  eight 
hundred  cavalry  upon  that  particular  point,  and  ope- 
rated a  breach  of  which  the  effect  was  felt  to  the  very 
extremities  of  the  lines.  Whenever  such  an  occurrence 
as  this  took  place,  the  opposing  generals  were  com- 
pletely confused — the  Tnovement  had  not  heen  antioi- 
pated.  It  was  in  this  very  manner  that  they  lost  ten  of 
the  battles  which  we  fought  against  them.  An  Austrian 
general  whom  we  took  during  the  campaign  in  Italy, 
said  to  an  officer  of  our  own  army :  *  I  prefer  being 
your  prisoner  to  continuing  the  war  against  you; 
nothing  is  agreed  and  arranged  as  it  should  be ;  all 
science  is  at  an  end ;  and  one  no  longer  knows  what 
one  is  about.' 

"  During  our  first  campaigns  our  present  system  was 
not  the  result  of  conviction,  it  was  merely  the  very 
natural  consequence  of  the  patriotic  ardor  and  enthu- 


THE  DRAMA  OF   WAR.  313 

siafiiu  of  the  young  soldiers,  the  young  officere,  and  the 
young  generals  of  the  Republic;  experience  alone 
reduced  these  elements  of  success  into  the  system 
which  it  subsequently  became,  and  to  translate  the 
whole  matter  into  words,  it  may  now  be  said  that  the 
Art  of  War  is  to  consolidate  upon  a  given  spot  a  greater 
amount  of  force,  and  in  a  shorter  period  of  time,  than 
can  be  accomplished  by  the  enemy. 

"  Tlie  re(d  Art  of  AVar  is,  therefore,  to  recognise  at 
once  on  a  battle-field  the  precise  position  which  will 
decide  the  engagement ;  and  to  bear  upon  it  with  a 
more  powerful  body  of  Iroops  than  your  adversary. 
Therein  consists  the  secret  of  a  great  leader;  that  is 
the  real  genius  of  war.  To  crush  an  enemy  weaker 
than  yourself,  or  to  disperse  bands  of  undisciplined 
marauders,  is  not  the  art,  it  is  scarcely  the  trade ;  but, 
with  a  small  army  to  present  invariably  to  your  anta- 
gonist a  superior  force  upon  the  point  where  he  is 
about  to  attack  you,  or  where  you  compel  him  to  attack 
you,  that  is  genius,  and  what  constitutes  the  general. 

"Frederic  resolved  war  into  a  science,  we  have 
elevated  it  into  an  art ;  it  is  no  longer  a  calculation,  it 
is  a  work  of  genius.  And  with  this  battles  may  be  won ; 
triumphs  may  be  secured  during  four,  six,  or  even 
eight  campaigns ;  but  the  army  which  is  really  inferior 
in  numbers,  must  ultimately  be  beaten,  because  vic- 
tories themselves  exhaust  more  slowly,  but  quite  as 
surely  as  defeats." 

Was  this  prophetic  of  the  past  ? 

"The  weaker  army  must;"  repeated  Bonaparte; 
"  be  beaten,  as  I  have  already  said,  unless,  indeed,  it  is 
attacked  on  its  own  soil ;  but  a  nation  which  ^permits 

14 


314  EPISODES   OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

itself  to  he  invaded^  is  a  nation  destitute  of  courage  ; 
for^  helieve  me,  Moreau,  there  is  no  liuinan  power  that 
can  suffice  to  invade  a  j>eoj)le  resolved  not  to  submit  to 
invasion.'''^ 

Was  this  prophetic  of  the  future  ? 

"Will  his  descendant  recognise  and  profit  by  the 
warning  ? 


CHAPTEK  XXII. 


THE   TRAIN-BEARERS. 


On  the  occasion  of  the  second  marriage  of  [N'apoleon, 
the  public  journals  were  ordered  to  abstain  from  all 
comments ;  and  even  any  allusion  to  the  subject  was 
prohibited,  until  an  ofiicial  detail  of  the  ceremonies 
should  be  published  by  Imperial  command.  To  coun- 
teract this  disappointment,  intelligence  was  surrepti- 
tiously furnished  by  sundry  officials  of  the  palace,  and 
pamphlets  were  rapidly  written,  which  were  sold  in 
MS.  in  the  streets  in  immense  numbers. 

One  of  these  has  fallen  into  our  hands,  and  we  have 
considered  it  so  curions  as  to  .transcribe  it  here. 

We  doubt — says  the  brochure — that  the  official  jour- 
nals will  communicate  to  the  public  a  scene  which  took 
place  at  the  Tuileries  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of 
April.  Madame-Mere  had  assembled  around  her  the 
Queens  of  Holland  and  l^aples,  the  Princesses  Elisa 
and  Pauline,  and  the  Kings  Louis  and  Jerome.  A 
common  sorrow  had  induced  a  greater  intimacy  between 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  315 

Hortense  and  her  sisters-in-law  than  had  ever  previ- 
ously existed ;  while  the  necessity  of  acting  in  con- 
cert, in  order  to  counterbalance  the  influence  of  the 
Austrian  Arch-duchess,  was  admitted  by  all  parties. 
Under  the  auspices  of  Madame  Laetitia  the  discomfited 
members  of  the  Bonaparte  family  could  speak  freely 
and  without  fear ;  and  each  new  arrival  stimulated  the 
conversation  by  an  expressed  regret  or  a  fresh  fraction 
of  intelligence.  On  this  occasion  the  King  of  West- 
phalia was  one  of  the  last  to  join  the  circle,  and  he  was 
at  once  assailed  with  questions. 

"Where  is  your  wife?"  asked  the  Princess  Borghese. 

"Wliich  of  them?"  inquired  J6rome  in  his  turn, 
with  a  laugh. 

"  Oh,  the  one  who  is  here,  of  course ;"  replied  Pauline 
sarcastically  ;  "  though,  according  to  the  usual  order  of 
things,  she  would  only  be  considered  as  your  mistress." 

"  She  is  dressing." 

"  Indeed ! "  exclaimed  the  Queen  of  I^aples ;  "  she 
is  in  great  haste  to  don  her  harness." 

"You  talk  idly,  Caroline;"  said  Madame-Mere ; 
"  it  is  the  duty  of  her  rank ;  she  understands  her  own 
dignity;  and  I  am  of  opinion  that  splendor  of  dress 
mnst  be  endured  by  royal  personages  as  one  of  the 
necessities  of  their  position." 

"And  what  does  Your  Majesty  of  Holland  think  of 
the  Arch-duchess  ? "  asked  the  Grand-duchess  of  Tus- 
cany. 

"  Why  should  you  make  such  an  inquiry  of  me  ? " 
said  poor  Hortense ;  "  my  duty  is  to  be  silent." 

"  For  my  part  I  can  see  no  beauty  in  her ; "  sneered 
Pauline,  as  she  gazed  complacently  at  herself  in  a  large 


316  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH   HISTORY. 

mirror,  in  front  of  which  she  had  placed  lier  chair ; 
"she  is  fair,  healthy,  and  fat,  like  all  the  German 
women,  but  there  is  no  expression  in  her  face ;  and  I 
would  venture  a  heavy  bet  that  she  has  not  a  particle 
of  intellect." 

"All  the  better  for  her;"  remarked  the  King  of 
Holland  gloomily. 

"  And  why,  my  son  ? "  demanded  Madame-Mere. 

"  Because  she  will  be  fortunate  enough  not  to  reflect, 
and  may  perhaps  be  able  to  believe  that  she  is  happy." 

"  One  thing  at  least  is  certain  ; "  said  Madame-Mere  ; 
"  that  whether  she  be  dull  and  ngly,  or  witty  and 
handsome,  the  Emperor  is  madly  in  love  with  her." 

"I  could  have  cried  with  vexation  as  I  watched 
him;"  exclaimed  the  Princess  Borghese  ;  "  one  might 
have  imagined  that  he  had  only  just  left  college." 

"  K  he  becomes  enamored  of  his  wife's  ancestors,  as 
well  as  of  his  wife  herself;"  followed  up  the  Grand- 
duchess,  "  he  will  indeed  believe  himself  to  be  a  real 
Csesar." 

"  Was  he  then  not  one  yesterday  ?"  asked  Jerome  ; 
"  in  that  case,  what  are  we  ?" 

"  Mademoiselle  de  Beauharnais,  who  is  skilled  in 
heraldry,  can  inform  you ;"  said  Caroline  Murat 
sharply. 

"  Oh ;"  replied  the  Queen  of  Holland  with  a  light 
laugh ;  "  people  who  were  nobodies  yesterday  may 
become  great  personages  to-day." 

"  Mademoiselle  de  Beauharnais ;"  said  Madame- 
Mere  haughtily ;  "  my  ancestors,  since  it  is  necessary 
to  apprise  you  of  the  fact,  need  not  yield  precedence  to 
yours.     You  are  descended  from  Frenchmen  who  were 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  817 

ennobled  only  in  the  seventeenth  century,  while  we 
trace  our  origin  to  the  sovereigns  of  Italy,  or  perhaps 
even  further  back.  I  am  myself  tlie  descendant  of  the 
Counts  of  Colalto,  and  tlie  Boauharnais  cannot  boast  of 
more." 

"  My  dear  mother,"  yawned  Pauline  ;  "  pray  speak 
lower ;  you  may  chance  to  awaken  Iler  Majesty  the 
Empress  and  Queen  ;  and,  should  she  accuse  us  of 
giving  her  tlie  headache,  my  brother  would  dismiss 
us." 

"  I  really  am  afraid ;"  whispered  the  King  of  West- 
phalia uneasily ;  "  th^  we  have  already  been  over- 
heard ;  I  can  detect  hasty  footsteps  in  the  gallery  ;  and 
who  can  it  be  except  a  messenger  from  Napoleon." 

The  anxiety  became  general,  but  it  was  terminated 
by  the  entrance  of  the  King  of  Naples.  He  was  attired 
in  a  species  of  tunic  of  fawn-colored  satin,  embroidered 
with  silver,  and  girt  about  the  waist  with  a  blue  scarf 
worked  and  fringed  with  gold,  over  which  he  wore  a 
purple  mantle  embroidered  with  silver,  with  a  collar 
and  lining  of  ermine,  which  was  confined  at  the  throat 
by  a  rich  clasp.  His  sword,  whose  hilt  and  sheath 
sparkled  with  mixed  jewels,  was  suspended  from  a  belt 
covered  with  rubies ;  while  his  boots  were  of  purple 
velv^et  edged  with  fur,  and  decorated  with  diamond 
tassels.  A  cap  of  the  same  color  as  his  mantle,  and 
surrounded  by  an  open  crown  composed  of  precious 
stones,  was  surmounted  by  a  plume  of  white  and  fawn- 
color  ;  while  tight  pantaloons  of  white  silk,  with  an  in- 
ner vest  of  the  same  material  embroidered  in  gold, 
completed  his  costume.  He  entered  with  his  head  erect, 
and  his  face  beaming  with  excitement,  his  luxuriant 


818  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH   HISTORY. 

curls  of  glossy  black  hair  falling  low  upon  his  neck ; 
and  in  his  hand  he  held  a  printed  paper,  which  he  was 
waving  to  and  fro. 

"  What  a  magnificent  dress !"  was  the  general  ex- 
clamation. 

*'  Yes,  I  flatter  myself ;"  said  Murat,  following  the 
example  of  the  Princess  Borghese,  and  admiring  him- 
self in  an  enormous  glass  by  which  his  whole  figure 
was  reflected ;  "  that  for  a  morning  costume  this  is  pre- 
sentable enough." 

"  And  you  will  soon  learn  how  dear  it  will  cost  you," 
observed  Madame-Mere  with  a  sigh. 

"  But  let  us  talk  of  something  else ;"  said  the  heau 
sabreur  more  seriously  ;  "  we  have  a  graver  subject  to 
discuss.  "Which  of  the  family  was  aware  of  what  I  read 
half  an  hour  ago  in  the  Journal  de  VErrvpire  V 

"  What  was  it  ?"  was  instantly  asked. 

"  That  we  are  about  to  be  disgraced  in  the  eyes  of  all 
Europe ;  and  that  the  royal  dignity  will  be  degraded  in 
our  persons." 

"  How  ?"  was  the  next  inquiry  ;  "  What  is  required 
of  us?" 

"  Eead,  Mesdames  les  Reines ;"  replied  Murat ; 
"  and  you  will  learn  that,  all  queens  as  you  are,  you 
will  to-morrow,  in  the  chapel  of  the  Louvre,  during  the 
marriage  ceremony,  have  the  honor  of  bearing  the 
train  of  the  Imperial  mantle  of  your  august  sister-in- 
law." 

"  Impossible !  It  is  the  mere  gossip  of  the  public 
prints !  Napoleon  can  never  seek  to  insult  us  by  such 
a  request!"  was  the  indignant  rejoinder. 

"  There  is  no  question  of  a  request  /"  said  the  King 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  319 

of   Westphalia  ;    "  the  Emperor  has   issued    a  com- 

"  Here  is  the  programme  of  the  procession,  drawn 
up  and  signed  by  the  grand-master  of  the  ceremonies," 
said  Louis. 

"  Has  he  forgotten  that  my  wife  is  the  daughter  of 
the  King  of  Wurtemberg  ?"  exclaimed  Jerome. 

"  As  for  me,"  cried  tlie  Princess  Borgh^se ;  "  I  will 
die  sooner  than  touch  her  odious  mantle." 

"  Do  not  excite  yourself,  sister ;"  said  Caroline  Mu- 
rat ;  "  this  matter  concerns  neither  you  nor  the  Grand- 
duchess  ;  you  are  neither  of  you  queens." 

"  But  I  am  more  than  a  parvenue  queen ;"  gasped 
Pauline,  choking  with  rage ;  "  I  am  noble,  both  on  my 
own  side,  and  on  that  of  my  husband." 

"  Bdle-soeur ;"  laughed  Murat  ;  "  you  are  imperti- 
nent." 

Tlie  Grand-duchess  burst  into  tears. 

"  Pauline  is  right ;"  she  exclaimed  angrily  ;  "  the 
pride  of  your  wife  is  insufferable ;  she  is  constantly 
throwing  her  royalty  in  our  teeth.  Is  it  our  fault  if 
Napoleon  would  not  give  a  close  crown  to  our  hus- 
bands ?  and  must  it  be  rendered  an  object  of  envy  to 
us  from  morning  to  night." 

"Poor  Elisa,  dry  your  teai*s,"  sighed  the  King  of 
Holland  ;  "  and  believe  me  when  I  assure  you  that  a 
crown  is,  at  the  best,  a  thorny  head-dress." 

"  Perhaps  so ;"  said  Murat  gaily  ;  "  but  I  confess 
that  it  sits  easily  enough  on  me." 

"  I,  for  one,  will  not  officiate  as  the  waiting  woman 
of  my  sister-in-law :"  observed  his  wife  in  a  tone  of 
decision. 


320  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  'Nor  will  I  permit  it ;"  cried  her  husband ;  "  and  I 
now  distinctly  forbid  you  to  do  anything  of  the  sort 
without  my  authority." 

"  If  you  are  all  only  as  firm  as  I  shall  be ;"  said  Pau- 
line, "  Segur  may  swallow  his  programme  ;  and  if  he 
dares  to  propose  such  a  degradation  to  me,  he  will  not 
soon  forget  his  reception." 

"  Her  Imperial  Majesty  is  in  no  want  of  either  ladies 
or  chamberlains,"  tartly  remarked  the  Grand-Duchess. 

"  I  could  not  venture  to  hint  at  such  a  degradation 
to  my  wife ;"  murmured  Jerome. 

"  Sons  and  daughters,  son-in-law  and  daughter-in- 
law,"  interposed  Madame-Mere  /  "  bear  in  mind  that 
Kapoleone  is  accustomed  to  be  obeyed.  He  is  decid- 
edly wrong  on  this  occasion ;  but  if  he  is  resolved,  you 
will  obey." 

"  The  others  may  do  so,  but  I  shall  not ;"  pei-sisted 
the  Princess  Borghese. 

"  You,  like  the  rest,"  was  the  dry  response. 

"  Rather  than  submit  to  such  an  indignity  I  would 
unsheathe  my  sword,"  declaimed  Murat  theatrically. 

"  Murato  !  Murato !"  said  the  old  lady,  with  a  saga- 
cious shake  of  the  head  ;  "  you  are  a  brave  man  in  bat- 
tle, but  in  the  presence  of  Napoleone  you  are  no  better 
than  a  coward." 

A  burst  of  laughter  greeted  this  sally,  in  which  the 
King  of  Kaples  joined  as  heartily  as  the  rest;  and  just 
as  the  sudden  mirth  was  at  its  height,  the  folding-doors 
of  the  room  were  flung  back  with  considerable  violence, 
and  the  usher  on  duty  announced  : 

'* The  Emperor!" 

At  this  terrible  word  the  mice  all  looked  round  for 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  821 

Bome  liole  in  which  they  might  hide  themselves,  but 
failed  to  find  one;  and  meanwhile  Napoleon,  always 
afiectionate  and  respectful  towards  his  mother,  ap- 
proached her  and  touched  her  forehead  with  his  lips ; 
he  then  gave  a  friendly  tap  on  the  cheek  to  the  Queen 
of  Holland;  inquired  after  the  health  of  Louis;  and, 
finally,  having  scrutinised  the  whole  group  like  a  man 
who  suspected  the  subject  which  had  been  under  dis- 
cussion, he  demanded  to  know  of  what  they  had  been 
conversing,  and  if  it  was  to  be  kept  a  secret  from  him  ? 

Murat  wore,  as  we  have  stated,  a  handsome  sword, 
but  it  remained  in  ita  glittering  sheath ;  the  stoical 
Louis  turned  away ;  Jerome  made  knots  in  his  hand- 
kerchief, and  entrenched  himself  behind  the  arm-chair 
of  Madame-Mere ;  Hortense  drooped  her  head ;  the 
Grand-duchess  of  Tuscany  and  the  Queen  of  Naples 
began  to  cry :  and  Pauline  alone  murmured  a  few  un- 
intelligible words. 

"  Madame  la  Princesse  Borghese ; "  thundered  out 
Napoleon  ;  ''  explain  instantly  what  all  this  means." 

"  My  sisters  and  I  do  not  think  proper  to  carry  the 
mantle  of  your  wife  ; "  she  articulated  with  considera- 
ble difficulty. 

"  What !  Do  you  all  refuse  ? "  asked  the  Emperor 
sternly. 

"  I  cannot  disgrace  my  crown ; "  sobbed  out  the 
Queen  of  Naples. 

"And  I  will  not  publicly  outrage  my  unhappy 
mother ; "  said  Hortense. 

"  Admirable  ! "  exclaimed  Napoleon.  "  And  you, 
Elisa?  You  doubtless  dread  the  reproaches  of  your 
husband.    Have  I  rightly  understood  you  all  ?    Ladies, 

14* 


822  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

what  did  I  owe  to  yon  when  I  was  called  tipon  to  reign 
over  France  ?  A  competent  fortune,  and  a  title  for  your 
husbands  would  then  have  satisfied  your  ambition  ;  and 
you  would  neither  have  accused  me  of  injustice,  nor 
aspired  to  a  higher  rank.  What  have  I  done  ?  I  have 
placed  you  all  on  such  a  giddy  elevation  that  it  has 
turned  your  heads.  I  have  bestowed  upon  your  hus- 
bands and  yourselves  what  perhaps  belonged  only  to 
the  nation ;  kingdoms,  principalities,  and  splendid 
establishments ;  I  have  overwhelmed  you  with  wealth 
and  honors ;  and  now,  instead  of  endeavoring  to  prove 
your  gratitude,  you  accuse  me  of  seeking  to  degrade 
you.  "What  are  you  without  me  ?  Which  of  you  could 
sustain  yourself  if  I  did  not  stretch  out  my  hand  to  sup- 
port you  ?  Oh !  so  this  is  the  tone  that  you  assume. 
Your  thrones  belong  to  you  by  feudal  right?  Mark 
me,  ladies — the  Arch-chancellor  of  State  shall  make 
to  you,  or  rather  to  your  husbands,  an  ofiicial  declara- 
tion ;  and  whichever  one  among  you  ventures  to  diso- 
bey my  commands,  shall  be  considered  as  a  felon,  and 
put  under  the  ban  of  the  Empire." 

Kapoleon  pronounced  his  decision  with  a  vehemence 
which  was  absolutely  frightful.  His  chest  heaved,  his 
eyes  became  haggard,  and  his  lips  grew  livid  with 
passion. 

No  one  dared  to  speak  for  several  moments ;  but  at 
length  the  King  of  ]S"aples,  somewhat  wounded  at  hav- 
ing been  confounded  with  the  other  brothers  of  the 
Emperor,  who  had  done  nothing  for  the  glory  of  the 
French  arms,  ventured  to  say  : — 

^'  I  had  hoped  that  my  services,  and  my  conduct  in 
the  field,  gave  me  a  right — " 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  323 

"To  what,  Monsieur?"  demanded  the  Emperor  im- 
petuously. "To  the  baton  of  a  Marshal  of  France, 
at  tlie  utmost.  Have  you  surpassed  Masscna,  Lannes, 
Davoust,  Kellerman?  Answer  me  that — Lef^vre, 
Perignon,  or  even  Soult?  Most  certainly  not;  and 
tlierefore,  in  strict  justice,  I  should  have  crowned  them 
before  you.  You  owe  your  royalty  only  to  the  fact 
that  you  are  my  brotlier-in-law ;  and  if  I  were  not  at 
hand  to  aid  you,  how  long  would  you  remain  upon 
your  throne  f  Your  safety  and  prosperity  depend  on 
mine.  Kings  and  queens,  return  to  your  duty — yield 
to  my  commands,  or  take  the  consequences.  As  regards 
you,  Madame  Borghese,  who  honor  us  by  your  alliance, 
as  soon  as  the  marriage  f§tes  have  terminated,  you  will 
leave  Paris ;  and  as  you  first  gave  the  signal  of  resist- 
ance, so  you  shall  be  the  first  to  obey.  It  is  my 
express  determination  that  the  Empress  Arch-duchess 
of  Austria  shall  receive  all  the  homage  due  to  her 
birth  and  rank." 

Having  thus  spoken,  l^apoleon  terminated  the  scene 
by  carrying  oS  the  three  kings;  after  having  again 
kissed  his  mother  upon  the  forehead,  and  glanced 
angrily  at  Hortense,  whose  deprecatory  look,  however, 
disarmed  him;  and  something  like  a  shadow  passed 
over  his  brow  as  his  lips  wreathed  themselves  into  a 
faint  smile  which  had  a  touch  of  sadness  in  its  expres- 
sion. 

Meanwhile  the  Princess  Borghese  was  sufifocating; 
and,  as  the  Emperor  disappeared,  she  fell  upon  the 
floor  in  violent  hysterics;  but  Kapoleon  having,  on 
being  apprised  of  the  fact,  sent  his  physician  Corvisart 
to  her  assistance,  who  informed  her  that  it  was  the 


324  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

command  of  the  Emperor  that  she  should  be  perfectly 
recovered  before  the  next  day,  she  had  no  alternative 
save  to  swallow  the  sedatives  which  were  prescribed 
for  her,  and  to  resign  herself  to  her  fate. 

The  Queens  of  Naples  and  Holland,  and  the  Grand- 
duchess  of  Tuscany,  had  no  resource  save  tears ;  but 
M.  de  Segur  having  assured  them  that  the  ceremonial 
against  which  they  had  revolted,  was  observed  in  all 
the  sovereign  houses  of  Europe,  they  at  length  con- 
sented to  submit. 


That,  although  tliere  may  have  been  considerable 
exaggeration  in  the  details  furnished  by  this  extraor- 
dinary pamphlet,  its  main  facts  were  perfectly  correct, 
became  subsequently  patent ;  as  it  was  ascertained  that 
one  of  the  ladies  of  the  court,  who  was  present  during 
the  discussion,  and  who  was  shrewd  enough  to  feel 
convinced  that,  resist  as  they  might,  they  would  never 
have  sufficient  influence  to  counteract  that  of  a  young 
bride  whom  the  imperious  conqueror  of  Italy  loved 
with  all  the  ardor  of  a  school-boy,  lost  no  time  in 
communicating  to  Marie  Louise  all  the  details  of  the 
struggle,  and  the  natural  consequence  ensued.  The 
haughty  daughter  of  the  Csesars,  who  considered  her- 
self degraded  by  a  marriage  forced  upon  her  by  a 
political  necessity,  had  from  the  first  felt,  and  even 
exhibited,  a  contempt  for  the  Bonaparte  family  which 
the  recital  of  her  indiscreet  attendant  augmented  to 
positive  scorn ;  an(i  from  that  moment  she  conde- 
scended to  honor  them  with  her  ill-will.  The  Princess 
Borghese  and  Queen  Hortense,  who  in  private  she 
always  designated  as    -'the  old  won^an's  daughter," 


THE  TRAIN-BEARERS.  826 

were  especially  the  objects  of  her  hatred ;  nor  could 
she  ever  be  prevailed  upon  to  utter  one  kind  or  sym- 
pathising word  on  tlie  subject  of  the  gentle  and  loving 
Josephine  who  for  her  sake  had  been  sacrificed ;  a 
pertinacity  that  alienated  from  her  the  hearts  of  the 
nation,  which  still  remembered  with  afiection  and 
regret  the  acts  of  benevolence  and  goodness  of  their 
first  Empress. 

The  fatal  mantle  which  was  destined  to  produce  so 
much  bitterness  and  dissension,  was  upwards  of  twelve 
yards  in  length,  and  had  been  scrupulously  copied 
from  those  of  the  ancient  Queens  of  France,  both  in 
size  and  material ;  and  it  was  decided  that  its  train  was 
to  be  borne  by  the  sisters  and  sisters-in-law  of  the  Em- 
peror throughout  the  whole  length  of  the  gallery  which 
connected  the  Tuileries  and  the  Louvre.  And  thus 
much  is  certain,  that  however  convincing  the  eloquence 
of  M.  Segur  might  have  proved  in  enforcing  the  obe- 
dience of  the  Imperial  and  Royal  train-bearers,  it  did 
not  suffice  to  prevent  their  betraying  how  deeply 
they  felt  the  degradation  to  which  they  were  sub- 
jected. 

During  their  act  of  vassalage  tears  streamed  down 
the  cheeks  of  the  mortified  and  humbled  princesses, 
which  they  made  no  attempt  to  conceal ;  and  which 
produced  a  painful  impression  on  the  spectators. 

One  child,  of  about  ten  years  of  age,  who  was  ear- 
nestly gazing  on  the  gorgeous  spectacle,  was  overheard 
whispering  to  his  mother :  "  Mamma,  why  does  the 
Queen  of  Holland  cry  ?  I  thought  that  queens  were 
always  laughing ;  for  you  know  that  every  one  says 
'  as  happy  as  a  king.' " 


326  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Alas,  poor  Hortense !  She  was  fated  to  shed  many, 
and  more  bitter  tears.  Those  which  fell  that  day  were 
wept  for  an  outraged  mother ;  but  other  days  were  to 
come  when  she  had  cause  to  weep  over  herself. 


CHAPTER  XXni. 


THE   DANCE   OF   DEATH. 


The  marriage  of  ISTapoleon  and  Marie  Louise  of 
Austria  was  solemnised  in  the  commencement  of  the 
year  1810  ;  and  shortly  after  the  ceremony  the  Emperor 
left  Paris  for  Compiegne,  whence  the  Imperial  couple 
proceeded  to  Belgium,  arriving  at  Brussels  at  the  close 
of  the  month,  where  they  held  an  official  reception. 
On  the  first  of  May  they  entered  Antwerp  in  state,  and 
finally  returned  through  Dunkirk,  Lille,  Havre,  and 
Rouen,  to  Paris. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  their  progress  they  were  re- 
ceived with  acclamations,  while  showers  of  bouquets, 
avalanches  of  official  addresses,  and  groves  of  triumphal 
arches  greeted  them  on  all  sides.-  Had  the  cold- 
blooded Austrian  Empress  possessed  the  heart  of  the 
sensitive  woman  whom  she  had  supplanted,  that  heart 
must  have  grown  heavy  within  her  as  she  reflected 
that  those  who  had  been  so  long  governed  by  her  own 
ancestors  were  now  striving  to  outvie  each  other  in  de- 
monstrations of  attachment  to  the  man  by  whom  they 
had  been  divested  of  so  fair  a  portion  of  their  empire ; 


THE  DANCE  OF  DEATH.  827 

but  Marie  Louise  was  only  wearied,  not  saddened,  by 
her  triumplial  passage  through  the  forfeited  territories 
of  the  Hapsburgs ;  where  the  inventive  genius  of  the 
inhabitants  had  suggested  no  other  tokens  of  welcome 
than  the  monotonous  ones  already  named.  Tliere  was, 
however,  one  small  town  which  as  the  travellers  ap- 
proached it  had,  as  they  instantly  perceived,  ventured 
upon  a  slight  innovation  on  the  universal  rule.  The 
inevitable  arch  formed  of  green  branches,  more  or  less 
artistically  arranged,  spanned  the  road  as  usual,  but  in 
addition  to  the  usual  banners,  it  was  surmounted  by 
another  bearing  an  inscription  in  gigantic  lettere. 

"  What  have  we  here  ?"  exclaimed  the  Emperor, 
anxious  to  reawaken  the  waning  interest  of  his  young 
bride ;  "  Messieurs ;"  he  added  to  the  equerries  who 
rode  beside  his  carriage ;  "  desire  the  postilions  to 
slacken  their  pace  when  we  are  within  a  few  paces  of 
the  arch  before  us." 

He  was  obeyed,  and  a  slight  breeze  expanding  the 
folds  of  the  banner,  he  read,  with  as  much  amusement 
as  curiosity,  the  two  following  lines : — 

**  II  n'a  pas  fiait  ixne  meprise, 
En  epousant  Marie  Louise." 

For  a  moment  both  himself  and  the  Empress  gave 
free  vent  to  their  mirth  ;  but  ere  they  reached  the  gate 
of  the  town  where  the  municipal  body  were  waiting  to 
receive  them,  and  to  deliver  their  address  of  congratu- 
lation, Kapoleon  had  recovered  his  composure ;  and 
waving  his  hand  to  the  official  who  was  already  unfold- 
ing his  paper,  and  clearing  his  throat  to  do  all  due  ho- 
nor to  the  important  document,  he  said  gravely : — 


828  EPISODES   OF   FKENCH   HISTORY. 

"  One  moment,  Monsieur,  if  you  please.  Let  your 
mayor  be  presented  to  me." 

The  chief  magistrate  approached  under  the  escort  of 
an  aide-de-camp,  bowing  to  the  ground,  and  evidently 
trembling  in  every  limb. 

"  Monsieur  le  Maire ;"  said  Kapoleon,  in  his  most 
gracious  accents  ;  "  the  congratulations  which  you  were 
about  to  offer  to  the  Empress  and  myself,  we  are  anxious 
to  reciprocate,  as  we  perceive  that  you  boast  a  poet  in 
your  borough." 

"Your  Imperial  Majesty  does  us  too  much  honor;" 
stammered  out  the  agitated  functionary. 

"  By  no  means ;"  replied  the  Emperor ;  "  It  is  the 
especial  privilege  of  sovereigns  to  pay  their  tribute  of 
praise  to  genius.  We  desire  to  see  your  poet,  and  to 
thank  him  for  the  loyalty  which  inspired  his  fancy." 

As  these  words  were  uttered  by  Napoleon,  a  second 
figure  detached  itself  from  the  group  before  him,  and 
advanced  towards  the  carriage.  It  was  that  of  a  fat, 
unwieldy,  shapeless  burgomaster  in  his  civic  robes, 
with  a  heavy  chain  of  gold  about  his  neck,  lack-lustre 
eyes,  and  a  pendant  chin.  On  the  stage  his  appearance 
would  have  elicited  a  roar  of  laughter,  but  the  counte- 
nance of  the  Emperor  remained  impassive. 

"Monsieur  le  poete;"  he  said  blandly;  "you  have 
conferred  a  great  obligation  on  the  town  which  is  so 
happy  as  to  number  you  among  its  inhabitants,  and 
particularly  upon  its  ofiicial  body;  as  the  distich  for 
which  they  are  indebted  to  you  far  transcends  any 
address  that  they  could  have  presented  to  my  illustri- 
ous bride  and  myself ;  and  we  consequently  accept  it 
in  lieu  of  that  which   they  intended  to   deliver.     To 


THE  DANCE  OF  DEATH.  829 

assure  yon,  moreover,  of  the  gratification  wo  have 
derived  from  the  very  graceful  and  ingenious  produc- 
tion of  your  muse ;"  he  continued,  taking  from  his 
waistcoat  pocket  an  ebony  snuff-box  bearing  his  cypher 
in  small  brilliants  upon  the  lid ;  "  I  request  that  you 
will  accept  this  from  me — and 

k 

'  Boire,  en  prenant  lA  une  prise, 
A  la  sant^  de  Marie  Louise — ' 

Au  revoir.  Messieurs  I     En  avant,  postilions  I" 

And  to  the  astonishment  and  consternation  of  the 
worthy  mayor  and  burgomasters,  the  cavalcade  was  in- 
stantly in  motion ;  and  the  splendid  procession  swept 
through  the  narrow  street  of  their  ancient  borougli  with 
a  speed  which  soon  carried  carriages  and  horsemen  out 
of  sight. 

"There  was  a  snuff-box  well-bestowed  !"  exclaimed 
Napoleon,  as  he  threw  himself  back  on  his  seat  with  a 
burst  of  laughter,  and  turned  towards  the  Empress ; 
"  It  has  made  a  simpleton  happy;  turned  the  Emperor 
of  the  French  into  a  rhymester ;  and,  above  all,  deli- 
vered yon  from  the  fatigue  and  weariness  of  listening 
to  a  string  of  phrases  without  either  sense  or  grammar." 

On  the  first  of  June  the  Imperial  couple  were  once 
more  in  Paris,  which  was  in  a  turmoil  of  gaiety  and 
dissipation  in  honor  of  their  nuptials ;  and  where  the 
fetes  given  by  Prince  Kourakin  were  the  theme  of 
every  circle. 

The  Kussian  Ambassador  was  a  man  of  taste  and 
gallantry,  who  entertained  his  distinguished  guests  with 
a  magnificence  which  elicited  the  admiration  of  all 
Paris.     His  hotel  was  one  of  the  finest  in  the  city,  and 


330  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

he  had  caused  it  to  be  furnished  in  the  most  luxurious 
manner  ;  his  banquets  were  unrivalled  both  in  arrange- 
ment and  variety ;  in  short,  everything  about  him  was 
perfect  save  his  person.  Enormously  stout,  and  strik- 
ingly ugly,  he  rendered  himself  still  more  conspicuous 
by  constantly  appearing  in  a  coat  of  cloth  of  gold, 
blazing  with  diamonds;  a  costume  which  made  him 
appear,  in  a  room  where  he  alone  was  so  attired,  like 
an  actor  about  to  enact  a  comic  part  at  the  theatre. 
When  once,  however,  those  who  were  presented  to  him 
had  become  accustomed  to  his  grotesque  appearance,  it 
was  difficult  either  to  ridicule  or  to  dislike  him,  as  his 
manners  were  fascinating,  his  conversation  brilliant, 
and  his  deportment  towards  the  other  sex  at  once  gen- 
tle and  respectful ;  qualities  in  which  most  of  the  nobi- 
lity of  that  period  were  sadly  deficient.  He  always 
observed  one  Russian  custom,  which  was  that  of  open- 
ing every  ball  with  the  woman  of  the  highest  rank  in 
the  room,  and  it  was  generally  with  the  Duchess  of 
Bassano  that  he  walked  the  Polonaise. 

The  most  eventful  entertainment  oifered  to  the  Em- 
peror and  his  bride  was,  however,  that  of  the  Prince  of 
Schwartzenberg,  the  Austrian  Ambassador,  who,  on  the 
1st  of  July,  received  not  only  their  Majesties,  but  the 
whole  court — at  the  hotel  Montesson,  where  he  had 
taken  up  his  residence. 

The  preparations  were  sumptuous  ;  and  invitations 
w^ere  issued  not  only  to  the  court  circle,  but  also  to  the 
principal  inhabitants  of  Paris,  and  to  all  foreigners  of 
distinction  who  chanced  to  be  residing  there  ;  and  eager 
were  the  entreaties  of  those  whose  names  had  been 
omitted,   but  who   considered  themselves  entitled  to 


THE  DANCE  OF  DEATH.  881 

figure  in  the  brilliant  throng,  to  obtain  one  of  the  magi- 
cal cards  wliich  would  secure  their  admission. 

The  f(§to  was  magnificent,  but  the  prince,  in  order  to 
secure  his  popularity,  had  yielded  too  carelessly  to  the 
requests  by  which  he  was  assailed  on  all  sides,  and  it 
was  soon  ascertained  that  his  hotel  would  be  utterly 
incapable  of  containing  the  number  of  guests  invited. 
He  consequently  caused  an  immense  building  to  be 
erected  in  the  middle  of  the  garden  ;  a  complete  palace, 
in  which  there  were  private  rooms  for  the  convenience 
of  the  Empress  and  her  attendants ;  but,  unfortunately, 
the  whole  of  the  vast  construction  consisted  of  pine- 
wood  washed  over  with  turpentine,  and  entirely 
covered  with  oilcloth.  The  interior  was  hung  with 
silk  draperies  wrought  with  gold;  while  garlands  of 
artificial  flowers,  and  festoons  of  muslin  and  gauze, 
were  suspended  from  the  exterior  portico. 

The  carriages  of  the  court  arrived  in  rapid  succes- 
sion ;  the  vast  hall  was  soon  filled  to  overflowing ;  and 
hidden  voices  and  instruments  ere  long  announced  the 
appearance  of  their  Majesties. 

The  Empress  wore  a  white  dress  with  a  running  pat- 
tern of  gold  sprinkled  with  rubies,  and  a  blue  mantle 
embroidered  with  diamonds,  pearls,  and  gold ;  her 
girdle,  her  necklace,  her  bracelets,  and  her  clasps,  all 
of  inestimable  price,  were  composed  of  the  richest  of 
the  crown-jewels  ;  while  on  her  head  blazed  a  diadem 
and  a  close  crown  of  diamonds.  Never  before  had  her 
attire  been  so  gorgeous,  or  her  features  so  animated ; 
she  was  the  very  embodiment  of  happiness ;  nor  did 
the  Emperor  appear  less  satisfied  than  herself;  but  con- 
versed  with   every  one   about  him   with  an  amenity 


832  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

which   he   seldom   displayed,   and  with   a  familiarity 
which  was  still  more  rare. 

Finding  himself  near  an  auditor  of  the  Coimcil  of 
State,  who  had  only  recently  received  his  appointment, 
he  asked  him  if  he  had  selected  a  partner. 

"  Sire ;"  said  the  astonished  young  man,  "  I  never 
dance." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it.  Monsieur ;"  was  the  reply ; 
"  every  one  ought  to  be  useful,  even  in  a  ball-room, 
when  they  are  in  my  service.  Engage  a  dancing- 
master,  and  I  will  invite  you  to  display  your  progress 
at  the  Tuileries  next  winter." 

As  Napoleon  moved  away,  smiling  at  the  embarrass- 
ment he  had  created,  his  victim  said  with  a  sad  sim- 
plicity to  those  about  him : — 

"  Could  anything  be  more  unfortunate !  Had  His 
Majesty  questioned  me  on  any  other  subject — on  the 
affairs  of  the  administration,  on  science,  in  mathema- 
tics, or  in  history,  I  could  have  given  him  a  satisfactory 
reply ;  but,  as  ill  luck  would  have  it,  he  talked  to  me 
of  dancing,  about  which  I  know  nothing.  Kever  was 
man  so  unlucky  as  I  am  !" 

"  Monsieur  ;"  replied  one  of  the  chamberlains  of  the 
Emperor  who  overheard  his  words  ;  "  you  should  have 
remembered  the  proverb.  '  They  should  not  go  to  the 
wine-shop  who  will  not  drink,  nor  those  to  the  gaming- 
house who  will  not  play.'  Learn  to  dance,  for  it  is  not 
every  one  who  can  dance  at  the  Tuileries." 

As  he  continued  his  tour  round  the  room,  E"apoleon 
found  himself  near  the  widow  and  daughter  of 
Monsieur  de  Bonchamp,  the  celebrated  soldier  who 
gained  so  high  a  reputation  in  La  Yend6e.     Made- 


THB  DANCB  OF  DEATH.  333 

moiselle  Zoe  de  Bonchainp  had  just  received  from  the 
Prince-Primate  the  cross  of  a  Chanoinesso,  and  she 
seized  the  opportunity  when  tlie  Emperor  addressed 
her,  to  request  his  permission  to  wear  it.  At  that 
period  all  that  related  to  La  Yendee  was  welcome  to 
Napoleon,  and  he  consequently  acceded  to  the  entreaty 
most  graciously  :  "  Save,  indeed ;"  he  added  archly ; 
"  that  it  should  prevent  your  taking  a  husband,  which, 
however,  I  presume  that  it  does  not." 

Meanwhile,  refreshments  were  handed  round,  and  the 
dances  succeeded  each  other  without  intermission, 
while  the  elder  guests  were  awaiting  the  announcement 
of  tlie  supper,  which  was  laid  in  another  part  of  the 
hotel.  The  sky  was  heavy,  and  the  heat,  augmented 
by  the  illumination,  excessive,  and  almost  stifling,  when 
suddenly  a  breeze  sprang  up,  which  was  joyfully  wel- 
comed ;  for  tlie  gardens,  as  light  as  day  from  the 
myriad  lamps  which  were  suspended  on  all  sides,  were 
as  much  crowded  as  the  saloons.  Suddenly  a  loud  cry 
was  heard,  even  above  the  music  of  the  orchestra.  One 
of  the  gauze  festoons,  displaced  by  the  sudden  current 
of  air,  had  swept  across  a  girandole,  and  taken  fire  at  a 
taper.  An  aide-de-camp  of  the  Prince  of  Neufchatel, 
hoping  to  check  the  evil  at  once,  sprang  up  the  column, 
caught  the  blazing  drapery,  and  endeavored  to  tear  it 
down ;  but  his  efforts  were  vain,  and  he  only  succeeded 
in  separating  it  into  several  fragments,  which,  escaping 
from  his  grasp,  ignited  the  hangings  in  two  other  direc- 
tions. 

The  first  witnesses  of  the  accident,  apprehending 
more  serious  consequences,  applied  for  such  assistance 
as  might,  if  procured  in  time,  have  dissipated  all  cause 


334  EPISODES  OF  FEENCH  HISTORY. 

for  alarm,  but  not  the  slightest  precaution  against  such 
a  catastrophe  had  been  taken ;  and  in  the  meantime  the 
fire  was  spreading  with  frightful  rapidity,  everything 
upon  which  it  seized  giving  it  additional  strength — the 
light  planking  imbued  with  turpentine,  the  gauzes,  and 
muslins,  all  served  to  feed  the  ravenous  flames  which 
wreathed  themselves  like  fiery  snakes  round  the  whole 
building.     In  five  minutes,  all  was  one  wide  blaze. 

The  misfortune  which  had  occurred  was,  for  a  time, 
known  only  to  those  who  were  present  in  the  tempo- 
rary saloon,  but  suddenly  the  report  spread  without, 
and  the  fearful  cry  of  "  Fire !"  was  heard  in  all  direc- 
tions ;  when,  by  some  inexplicable  fatality,  a  mass  of 
persons,  not  aware  in  what  quarter  the  fire  had  broken 
out,  rushed  into  the  blazing  ball-room,  and  on  perceiv- 
ing the  progress  of  the  flames,  shrieked  to  its  occupants 
to  escape.  At  these  cries,  the  terror  became  general ; 
every  individual  in  the  crowd  pressed  madly  to  and 
fro,  seeking  those  who  were  dearest  to  them,  and  creat- 
ing a  confusion  from  which  it  was  impossible  to  extri- 
cate themselves.  The  scene  of  terror  below  was 
equalled  by  that  above ;  the  flames  spread  rapidly  and 
fiercely  ;  and,  fed  by  the  abundant  draperies,  attacked 
the  roof  of  the  building,  shivered  the  huge  mirrors, 
detached  the  chandeliers  which  fell  in  a  rain  of  glass 
to  the  fioor,  and  threatened  the  entire  destruction  of 
the  edifice. 

The  Empress  was,  at  that  particular  moment,  sepa- 
rated from  the  Emperor,  and  might,  without  much 
difiiculty,  have  efi'ected  her  escape  alone ;  but  with  a 
courage  which  she  never  exhibited  in  France,  save  on 
this  occasion,  she  turned  towards  the  throne,  ascended 


THE  DANCE  OF  DEATH.  886 

the  stepe,  and  there  awaited  licr  liusband  without  exhi- 
biting one  trace  of  fear.  In  another  second,  Napoleon 
rushed  to  her  bide,  grasped  her  arm,  and,  preceded  by 
several  of  his  faithful  attendants,  succeeded  in  rescu- 
ing her  from  her  frightful  peril ;  when,  having  placed 
her  in  the  first  carriage  he  could  procure,  he  accompa- 
nied her  on  horseback  to  the  palace  of  the  Elysee. 
This  duty  accomplished,  he  at  once  returned  to  the 
scene  of  the  catastrophe,  in  order  to  stimulate  the 
efforts  of  those  who  were  endeavoring  to  extinguish 
the  flames  ;  but  it  was  already  too  late  ;  a  few  minutes 
had  sufficed ;  the  building  existed  no  longer ;  and  no- 
thing remained  of  the  fairy  palace  which  had,  only  an 
hour  before,  presented  the  appearance  of  some  creation 
from  the  wand  of  an  enchanter,  save  a  heap  of  ruin 
and  of  dead ! 

Never  had  the  Emperor  appeared  so  worthy  of  his 
world-wide  reputation  as  he  did  at  this  terrible  moment ; 
he  seemed  to  be  possessed  of  ubiquity,  and  to  be  every- 
where at  once  ;  utterly  regardless  of  his  own  safety,  he 
leapt  into  the  midst  of  the  still  burning  ruins  in  order 
to  rescue  the  maimed  and  shrieking  victims  who  were 
unable  to  extricate  themselves ;  and  even  amid  the  hor- 
rors of  the  scene  poured  forth  words  of  encouragement 
and  hope  which  lessened  the  terror  of  the  victims. 

The  sufferings  occasioned  by  this  conflagration  were 
fearful;  and  among  those  who  did  not  actually  lose 
their  lives,  the  hurts  received  by  Prince  Kourakin 
ultimately  proved  to  have  been  the  most  severe ;  as,  in 
endeavoring  to  escape  from  the  burning  building,  he 
had  fallen  at  the  foot  of  the  steps  w^hich  led  to  the 
grand  entrance,  and  all  the  persons  who  succeeded  in 


336  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH   HISTORY. 

saving  themselves  passed  over  his  prostrate  body ;  thus 
he  was  not  only  much  burnt,  but  owing  to  his  great 
size,  was  bruised  from  head  to  foot  so  seriously  that  his 
life  was  for  a  time  despaired  of ;  and  several  months 
actually  elapsed  ere  he  could  dispense  with  the  care  and 
attendance  of  the  celebrated  surgeon  Dubois ;  whom, 
with  his  usual  munificence,  he  rewarded  on  his  recovery 
with  a  gold  snuff-box,  enriched  by  his  cypher  in  bril- 
liants, and  containing  a  hundred  thousand  francs  in 
bank  notes. 

More  than  fourteen  persons  perished  at  this  fatal 
entertainment.  The  Princess  de  la  Leyen,  sister-in-law 
to  the  prince-primate,  was  among  the  number ;  as  well 
as  the  Princess  Joseph  of  Schwartzenberg,  who  bore 
the  same  relation  to  the  Austrian  Ambassador.  Tlie 
latter  died  a  victim  to  her  maternal  affection ;  as,  on 
missing  her  young  and  beautiful  daughter  from  her 
side,  she  rushed  into  the  midst  of  the  flames  in  search 
of  her,  and  herself  met  the  frightful  death  which  her 
beloved  child  had  escaped. 

Tlie  appearance  of  the  garden  during  the  night  was 
frightful !  The  once  brilliant  light  of  the  illuminations 
was  lost  amid  the  blaze  of  the  conflagration ;  women, 
sparkling  with  diamonds,  and  attired  in  sumptuous 
dresses,  were  flying  from  the  dreadful  enemy  which  ap- 
peared to  be  pursuing  them ;  and  more  than  one  among 
them  was  drowned  in  the  marble  basin  of  the  fountain, 
into  which  they  had  either  fallen  fainting  in  their 
terror,  or  had  precipitated  themselves  to  escape  the 
flames  which  had  fastened  on  their  garments.  IS'othing 
could  be  heard  save  cries  of  agony  or  groans  of 
despair,  wrung  from  the  mutilated  sufferers  who  were 


THE   DANCE  OF  DEATH.  837 

unable  to  extricate  themselves  from  their  perilous  situa- 
tion; mothers  shrieking  out  the  names  of  their  chil- 
dren, wives  of  their  husbands,  and  fathers  of  their  sons. 
The  number  of  wounded  was  considerable,  being  esti- 
mated at  upwards  of  a  hundred.  Among  the  rest,  of 
one  family  who  had  come  from  Baden  expressly  to 
attend  this  fete,  one  member  only  survived  the  cata- 
strophe ;  the  other  five  perished  eitlier  in  the  fire,  or  a 
few  days  subsequently,  of  their  wounds. 

Tlie  fury  of  the  flames  was  so  great  that  the  Queen 
of  Naples,  who  was  following  the  Imperial  couple  from 
the  bail-room,  chancing  to  fall,  was  indebted  for  her 
life  to  the  presence  of  mind  of  the  Grand  Duke  of 
Wurtzburg,  who  having  succeeded  in  saving  her  from 
being  trampled  on,  gave  her  into  the  arms  of  the  King 
of  Westphalia  and  Count  Metternich,  who  conveyed 
her  to  a  place  of  safety. 

The  Yice-Queen  of  Italy  was  pregnant ;  and  Prince 
Eugene,  fearing  that  she  might  meet  with  some  acci- 
dent, and  believing  that  the  danger  was  not  so  immi- 
nent as  it  was  thought  to  be,  remained  with  her  for 
some  time  at  the  upper  end  of  the  saloon,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  crowd  from  pressing  upon  her,  when  he 
hoped  to  be  able  to  retire  with  her  in  time ;  but  he 
soon  discovered  that  there  was  no  chance  of  escape  by 
the  principal  door,  from  the  constant  falling  of  the 
chandeliers  and  lustres,  by  which  they  must  have  been 
crushed  on  their  passage. 

For  a  moment  he  was  transfixed  with  horror ;  his 
wife  had  fainted  in  his  arms;  and  nothing  save  a 
frightful  death  appeared  to  await  them  both,  when  he 
suddenly  remembered  that  a  sliding  panel  had  been 

15 


338  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

opened  near  the  throne,  which  he  had  remarked  at  the 
commencement  of  the  evening,  when  his  attention  was 
attracted  by  the  movement  of  the  drapery  and  the 
entrance  through  the  aperture  of  an  attendant.  Kot  a 
moment  was  to  be  lost ;  with  an  eager  hand  he  tore 
back  the  hangings,  discovered  the  panel  so  providen- 
tially provided  for  his  own  safety  and  that  of  one  whom 
he  loved  far  more  than  himself,  thrust  it  open,  and 
bore  his  still  insensible  burthen  into  the  open  air. 

Prince  Joseph  of  Schwartzenberg  passed  the  entire 
night  in  seeking  his  wife,  whom  he  found  neither  at  the 
Austrian  Embassy  nor  at  the  hotel  of  the  Countess  Met- 
ternich  ;  but  he  refused  to  believe  in  his  bereavement 
until  daybreak,  when  a  mutilated  body  was  found 
among  the  ruins,  which  was  instantly  recognised  as  that 
of  the  devoted  and  ill-fated  mother — not  a  doubt  could 
moreover  exist,  as  the  jewels  which  were  still  attached 
to  her  neck  and  arms  too  plainly  proclaimed  the  fearful 
truth. 

The  unfortunate  princess  was  the  daughter  of  the 
Duke  of  Aremberg,  at  that  period  a  senator,  and  was 
the  parent  of  eight  children.  Distinguished  equally  by 
the  grace  of  her  person,  the  excellence  of  her  heart, 
and  the  superiority  of  her  intellect,  her  miserable  fate 
was  sincerely  wept  by  her  friends,  and  caused  universal 
regret. 

As  a  natural  consequence,  the  tragical  event  which 
we  have  endeavored  to  describe  elicited  a  thousand 
rumors,  each  more  absurd  and  improbable  than  the 
last ;  and  some  evil-minded  men  even  ventured  to  as- 
sert that  England,  in  concert  with  Austria,  had  been 
the  author  of  the  fire,  in  which  both  nations  had  hoped 


THE   MARSHAL-DUKK   AND  THB  BANKER.  889 

to  annihilate  the  Emperor  and  his  relatives  I  Tliis  atro- 
cious accusation  could  not,  however,  obtain  credence 
even  among  the  most  virulent  enemies  of  England. 
What  purpose  could  she  have  had  to  destroy  Napoleon  ? 
She  who  alone  of  all  the  European  nations  had  never 
bent  beneath  his  yoke,  or  feared  his  frown  ?— while,  as 
regarded  Austria,  the  calumny  was  still  more  monstrous. 
Had  these  moral  murderers  forgotten  that,  in  becoming 
the  wife  of  the  French  Emperor,  Marie  Louise  had  not 
ceased  to  be  the  daughter  of  Francis,  and  that  she  must 
have  been  involved  in  the  common  destruction  ? 

Originate  from  what  cause  it  might — and  there  can- 
not be  an  instant's  doubt  that  the  cause  was  purely 
accidental — the  omen  was  a  sad  one.  The  ill-starred 
Marie  Antoinette  was  greeted  on  her  arrival  in  France 
with  the  most  awful  stonn  that  had  been  witnessed  for 
years,  and  she  perished  on  a  scaffold.  Marie  Louise 
had  her  welcome  baptised  in  fire,  and  her  end  was  even 
less  enviable.  In  tlie  one  case,  death  ;  in  the  other  dis- 
honor I 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 

THE  MARSHAL-DtTKE  AND   THE    BANKER. 

As  the  Imperial  Court  became  less  and  less  accessible 
to  those  whose  wealth  alone  entitled  them  to  hope  for 
admission  to  the  palace,  so  did  that  honor  become  more 
and  more  an  object  of  ambition  ;  but  many  who,  under 


340  EPISODES   OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

an  hereditary  monarchy,  would  have  found  little  diffi- 
culty in  securing  an  entrance  to  the  charmed  circle, 
were  excluded  under  that  of  aparvenu  sovereign,  whose 
jealousy  of  intrusion,  and  anxiety  to  maintain  his  dig- 
nity to  its  full  extent,  rendered  him  more  fastidious. 
It  was  easy  to  trace  the  effect  to  its  cause,  although  this 
fact  by  no  means  reconciled  the  excluded  to  the  priva- 
tion of  so  desirable  an  opportunity  of  displaying  their 
opulence  in  the  eyes  of  the  courtiers. 

The  few  who,  for  reasons  of  his  own,  the  Emperor 
consented  to  receive,  might,  however,  had  they  seen  fit 
to  do  so,  have  convinced  the  discontented  that  they 
themselves  paid  dearly  for  the  distinction  which  had 
been  accorded  to  them  ;  for,  if  the  denizens  of  the  Fau- 
bourg Saint  Germain  indulged  in  certain  displays  of 
insolent  superiority  towards  the  noblesse  of  the  Empire, 
these  in  turn  were  as  little  delicate  in  assuming  airs  of 
ostentatious  disdain  when  brought  into  contact  with  the 
heavy  purses  and  gorgeous  jewels  of  the  mere  financial 
grandees.  They  were,  however,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, silent  on  such  a  subject ;  and  even  if  it  were 
occasionally  suspected  by  their  friends,  the  latter  were 
by  no  means  deterred  from  exerting  all  their  ener- 
gies to  place  themselves  in  the  same  position,  while, 
strangely  enough,  even  while  struggling  with  a  perti- 
nacity worthy  a  better  cause,  to  attain  their  object, 
they  never  ceased  asking,  "  Who  was  Kapoleon  ?  Who 
was  Josephine  ?  What  right  had  they  to  despise  and 
neglect  those  who  were  their  equals  by  birth  ? "  uncon- 
scious that  to  this  very  fact  their  disappointment  was  to 
be  attributed ;  and  that  had  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
whom  they  thus  affected  to  disdain  been  born  "  under 


THE   MARSHAL-DUKK  AND  THE  BANKER.  341 

the  purple,"  they  conld  have  afforded  to  extend  their 
condescension  much  further. 

Among  his  untitled  guests,  tlie  most  welcome  to 
Napoleon,  and  the  most  respected  by  those  about  him, 
was  M.  Esteve,  who  ultimately  became  Treasurer  to 
tlie  Crown,  and  a  Count  of  the  Empire ;  but  this  estima- 
ble man  unhappily  lost  his  reason,  a  circumstance  which 
was  generally  attributed  to  the  fact  of  his  Imperial 
master  having  resolutely  refused  to  invest  him  with  a 
dukedom ;  aldiough  his  personal  friends  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  affirm  that  this  overweening  ambition,  and  not 
its  failure,  was  the  first  symptom  of  his  malady. 

Be  that  as  it  might,  however,  the  anecdote  which  we 
are  about  to  relate,  has  for  its  hero  an  individual  not 
altogether  unconnected  with  the  temporary  vacancy 
caused  by  the  painful  malady  of  the  unfortunate  count. 

Among  the  monied  men  who  aspired  to  the  dignities 
of  the   Imperial  Court,  the  most  conspicuous  was  a 

banker  named  P ,  a  worthy  person  enough,  but 

vain  to  excess;  and  affecting  democratical  principles 
even  while  he  was  pining  for  the  opportunity  of  becom- 
ing a  courtier.  From  constant  contact  with  the  noblesse 
in  his  business,  he  had  finished  by  believing  that  he 
was  himself  of  high  extraction,  and  his  ambition  led 
him  to  hope  for  an  appointment  in  the  household  of 
the  Emperor. 

This  was,  however,  by  no  means  easy  of  attainment ; 
and  he  had  almost  begun  to  despair  of  success,  when 
he  determined  to  confide  his  project  to  the  Marshal- 
duke  de  E ,  whose  improvidence  had,  on  more  than 

one  occasion,  compelled  him  to  have  recourse  to  the 
good  offices  of  the  wealthy  banker. 


342  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTOKY. 

"  My  dear  Sir ;"  said  the  marshal  in  reply  ;  "  I  feel 
satisfied  that  the  Emperor  will  be  delighted  to  see  a 
man  of  your  importance  at  his  court.  That  must  be 
our  first  step.  He  must  see  you,  and  be  enabled  to 
estimate  your  worth,  before  anything  more  can  be 
done.  I  will  mention  you  to  him ;  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  a  few  days  hence  he  will  summon  you  to 
the  palace." 

A  week  or  two  subsequently,  the  marshal,  who,  as 

we  need  scarcely  say,  had  altogether  forgotten  M.  P 

and  his  project,  chanced  to  meet  him  in  the  gardens  of 
the  Tuileries ;  when,  finding  that  there  was  no  escape, 
and  suddenly  recalling  to  mind  the  promise  that 
he  had  made,  he  accosted  him  with  great  apparent 
warmth. 

"  Nothing  was  ever  more  unfortunate ! "  he  exclaimed, 
after  they  had  exchanged  salutations ;  "  I  have  not 
been  able  to  obtain  an  audience  of  the  Emperor  since 
we  last  parted ;  and,  for  obvious  reasons,  I  do  not  con- 
sider it  expedient  to  mention  your  wish  before  witnesses. 
There  are  so  many  jealousies,  and  so  much  intriguing 
at  court,  that  were  our  purpose  to  become  known,  you 
would  inevitably  be  forestalled ;  so  that  you  have  no 
alternative  but  to  wait  patiently  until  I  can  secure  a 
favorable  moment." 

M.  P expressed  his  acknowledgments. 

"  Pest  assured,  M.  le  Marechal ;"  he  said  gratefully ; 
"  that  this  is  an  obligation  which  I  shall  never  forget, 
and  for  which  I  shall  not  prove  ungrateful.  I  cannot 
doubt  that  when  you  represent  to  His  Imperial  Majesty 
the  antiquity  of  my  family,  and  my  power  to  serve  him 
financially  whenever  he  may  condescend  to  accept  my 


THB  MARSHAL-DUKE  AND  THE   BANKER.  343 

services,  he  will  at  once  see  that  I  am  not  an  ineligible 
person  to  admit  to  his  presence." 

^''Pardi!  I  should  think  not,  indeed!"  was  the 
rejoinder  of  his  military  patron  ;  "  and  I  can  the  better 
sympathise  in  your  anxiety,  as  I  am  very  far  from  easy 
in  my  mind  myself,  for  I  am  just  now  furiously  short 
of  money." 

The  banker,  caught  in  his  own  trap,  affected  for  a 
moment  not  to  have  heard  the  remark ;  then  a  doubt 
presented  itself  that  he  should  be  acting  like  a  wise 
man,  were  he,  at  so  critical  a  moment,  to  forfeit  the 
friendship  of  his  improvident  companion  for  a  few 
thousands  of  francs ;  and,  having  rapidly  convinced 
'himself  to  the  contrary,  he  walked  aside  for  a  few 
seconds,  and  returned  with  a  small  pocket-book  con- 
taining thirty  thousand  livres  in  his  hand,  of  which  he 
begged  the  marslial  to  accept  the  loan  until  he  should 
receive  his  revenues. 

His  request  was  cheerfully  granted,  with  an  assur- 
ance that  the  sum  so  gracefully  tendered  should  be 
repaid  without  delay ;  but  as  nothing  was  further  from 
the  intention  of  the  recipient  than  sufi'ering  the  con- 
tents of  the  pocket-book  to  return  to  their  original 
owner,  he  determined  to  cancel  the  debt  by  informing 
ISTapoleon  of  the  request  which  had  been  made  to  him 
by  the  accommodating  banker. 

"Do  you  imagine  that  I  am  anxious  to  turn  my 
court  into  a  Stock-Exchange,  M.  le  Marechal  ? "  asked 
the  Emperor;  "I  desire  that  the  subject  may  never 
again  be  mooted  between  us." 

M.  P was,  however,  a  pertinacious  pleader,  and 

refused  to  consider  himself  beaten  even  by  this  pe- 


844  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

remptory  declaration,  Imperial  though  it  was ;  and  the 
Marshal  began  to  feel  that  he  was  paying  too  high  a 
price  for  his  thirty  thousand  francs,  when  he  almost 
daily  received  a  visit  from  his  creditor,  urging  him 
once  more  to  advocate  his  cause.  His  invention  was 
sorely  taxed  to  vary  and  render  even  commonly  plausi- 
ble the  statements  by  which  he  was  compelled  to 
soothe  his  impatience ;  and  at  length,  in  order  to  im- 
press on  him  the  conviction  that  the  hope  of  court 
favor  was  beginning  to  dawn  upon  him,  the  poor 
worried  marshal,  de  guerre  lasse^  resolved  to  pay  him 
a  formal  visit  at  his  own  house. 

This  proved  an  evil  inspiration  for  the  unlucky 
banker,  as  this   distinguished  visitor  was   necessarily 

presented  to  Madame  P ,  one  of  the  loveliest  and 

most  accomplished  women  in  Paris.  Young,  blooming, 
finely  formed,  and  full  of  graceful  gaiety,  she  was  a 
general  favorite,  and  secured  the  admiration  and  re- 
gard of  all  around  her.  Dazzled  by  her  extraordinary 
beauty,  the  gallant  marshal  lost  no  opportunity  of 
endeavoring  to  secure  her  favor,  but  his  defeat  was  a 
signal  one ;  nor  was  it  long  before  he  discovered  that 
the  bright  eyes  which  refused  all  response  to  his  own 
glances,  were  infinitely  less  rigorous  towards  General 
P S ;  whereupon  he  without  loss  of  time  de- 
cided on  a  plan  of  action  in  which,  bold  and  extrava- 
gant as  it  was,  he  felt  certain  of  success. 

'•  My  good  friend,"  he  one  day  whispered  confiden- 
tially to  the  husband  of  the  young  beauty ;  "  we  have 
at  last  succeeded.  The  Emperor  has  pledged  himself 
that  he  will  confer  on  you  the  appointment  of  Treasurer 
to  the  Crown,  in  place  of  the  Count  d'Esteve,  whose 
lunacy  is  now  confirmed." 


THE  IIARSIIAL-DUKB  AND  THE   BANKER.  845 

"  Ah,  M.  le  Due,  allow  me  to  embrace  you ;"  ex- 
claimed the  overjoyed  banker ;  "  you  have  made  me 
the  happiest  man  in  France  I  I  will  immediately  order 
my  court-dress.  Is  not  the  mantle  feuUle  morte  em- 
broidered with  silver  ? — and  when  shall  I  be  required 
to  take  the  oath  ?" 

"  Calm  yourself,  M.  le  Tresorier-general  ;"  said  the 
marshal,  who  began  to  be  alarmed  by  the  impetuosity 
of  his  dupe  ;  "  you  must  be  calm  and  prudent.  As  I 
have  already  informed  you,  it  is  decided  that  you 
are  to  succeed  to  the  honorable  functions  of  the  unfor- 
tunate Esteve,  but  only  on  one  condition." 

"Name  it — I  care  not  what  may  be  its  nature — it 
shall  be  observed  ;"  cried  M.  P breathlessly. 

"  It  is,  however,  one  of  so  singular — I  had  almost 
said  of  so  cruel  a  nature  ;"  replied  the  duke  gravely  ; 
"  that  I  have  scarcely  courage  to  make  it  known  to 
you." 

"  Kever  mind,  never  mind  ;  do  not  keep  me  in  sus- 
pense ;"  gasped  out  his  companion  ;  "  this  is  no  moment 
for  false  delicacy.  Does  our  immortal  Emperor  wish  to 
test  forthwith  my  power  to  serve  the  interests  of  his 
treasury  ?" 

"  Not  precisely." 

"  Because  otherwise — " 

"  There  was  no  question  of  a  loan,  I  assure  yon,  upon 
my  honor." 

"Then  tantalise  me  no  longer,  I  entreat  of  you,  M.  le 
Marechal ;  it  is  not  difficult  to  comply  with  a  condition 
by  which  one  is  to  become  Treasurer  to  the  Crown." 

"  Well,  since  you  insist  that  I  shall  accomplish  my 
mission,"  said  the  duke,  as  if  with  reluctance,  "  I  am 

16* 


846  EPISODES   OF  FRENCH   HISTORY. 

compelled  to  tell  you  tliat  this  favor  is  accorded  to  Ma- 
dame P ,  and  not  to  yourself.  You  cannot  conceive 

the  enthusiasm  with  which  he  speaks  of  her." 

"  The  devil !  This  is  unfortunate  indeed  ;"  sighed 
the  astonished  man  of  money.  "  Of  course  I  do  not 
pretend  to  misunderstand  you  ;  but  nothing  could  have 
been  more  unlucky  ;  for  I  do  assure  you,  M.  le  due, 
that  I  love  my  wife." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  his  tormentor  phlegmatically  ; 
"  you  will  of  course  decline  the  honor  which  is  await- 
ing you  ;  but  I  must  entreat  that  you  will  not  cease  to 
remember  that  iJij  best  influence  was  exerted  in  your 
behalf." 

"  Rest  assured,  M.  le  Marechal,  that  I  shall  bear  it 
in  memory  to  the  last  hour  of  my  existence  ;  but  it  is 

really  a  pity  that  Madame  P should  be  precisely 

the  person  to  captivate  his  fancy.  There  are  so  many 
pretty  women  in  Paris,  mon  digne  Monsieur.'''' 

"  Not  a  doubt  of  it,"  replied  his  inexorable  debtor. 
"  It  is  a  fatal  chance  certainly." 

"  Well ;"  said  the  banker  gloomily,  ''  then  there  is 
an  end  of  the  one  dream  of  my  existence.  I  must  de- 
cline the  office  on  those  terms." 

"  I  regret  it  for  your  sake,"  was  the  reply,  "  as  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  I  cannot  further  interfere  in  the  af- 
fair." 

M.  P fell  into  a  profound  reverie,  which  the  Mar- 
shal made  no  attempt  to  disturb  ;  but  ere  long  he  again 
spoke : — 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  he  said  sententiously ;  "  that 
this  appointment  would  not  only  give  me  a  high  posi- 
tion at  the  court,  but  that  it  would  also  confer  great 


THE  MARSHAL-DUKE  AND  THE  BANKER.  347 

distinction  upon  ray  wife,  who  would  become  Madame 
la  Tresoriere,  and  have  her  entrees  like  myself;  and, 
under  the  circumstances,  if  I  am  called  upon  to  make  a 
sacrifice,  I  am  surely  entitled  to  demand  that  she  should 
make  one  likewise." 

''  There  cannot  be  a  doubt  of  it." 
"  The  costume  is  superb,  is  it  not,  M.  le  Due  ?" 
"  Magnificent !  and  peculiarly  adapted  to  a  person 
of  your  height  and  figure." 

"  I  can  well  believe  it — but  still — " 
"  I  suspect  that  should  you  accept  the  appointment," 
interposed  the  marshal,  "  the  favor  of  the  Emperor 
would  be  secured  to  you,  and  that  the  cordon  of  the 
Legion  of  Honor  would  not  be  long  ere  it  adorned  your 
breast." 

"  The  cordon  of  the  Legion  of  Honor,  M.  le  Due  ?" 
"  Yes  ;  and  not  only  that  distinction,  but  also  Impe- 
rial demonstrations  of  confidence  and   esteem   which 
could  not  fail  to  make  you  an  object  of  envy  to  the 

whole  court.     M.  P you  are  a  man  of  sense  and 

sentiment — ^you  are  a  philosopher ;  and  you  should  not 
forget  for  an  instant  either  the  greatness  of  the  person- 
age with  whom  you  have  to  deal,  or  the  fact  that  when 
husbands  are  wise  they  never  see  or  hear  anything  of 
which  they  are  supposed  to  be  ignorant.  Act  as  they 
do ;  and  consider  yourself  peculiarly  favored  that  while 
many  a  countess  and  baroness  has  smiled  upon  her 
valet,  Madame  P will  have  the  honor  of  contri- 
buting to  the  happiness  of  the  most  powerful  sovereign 
in  Europe." 

"  There  is  certainly  some  truth  in  what  you  advance ;" 
said  the  discomfited  banker;  "but  still — " 


348  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

"  He  hesitates,"  murmured  the  marshal  beneath  his 
breath ;  "  so  my  point  is  gained."  And  then  he  added 
aloud : — 

"  I  must,  however,  tell  you  that  the  Emperor  is  an- 
noyed to  see  General  S F constantly  loitering 

about  your  house." 

"  It  vexes  me  also ;"  replied  his  companion ;  "  and  I 
shall  request  him  to  remain  at  home." 

"  That  will  be  your  most  prudent  course,  my  good 
friend ;  but  you  must  act  as  if  solely  influenced  by 
your  own  good  feelings — ^let  nothing  be  suspected ;  for 
the  Emperor  detests  all  publicity  in  delicate  affairs  of 
this  nature." 

Having  so  far  carried  his  point,  the  duke  rose,  took 

his  leave,  and  retired ;  while  M.  P anxious  to  fit 

on  his  court-suit  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  made 
his  way  at  once  to  the  apartment  of  his  wife,  where, 
without  any  preface,  he  proceeded  to  inform  her  that 
the  visits  of  the  general  were  extremely  disagreeable  to 
him  as  the  master  of  the  house ;  and  not  only  to  him- 
self, but  also  to  a  valuable  friend  whose  feelings  he 
would  not  wound  for  the  world. 

"  And  what  friend  of  yours,  may  I  ask.  Monsieur ;" 

demanded  Madame  P ;  "  can  be  interested  in  the 

movements  of  the  general  ? " 

"  One,  Madame,  I  repeat,  whose  wishes  I  am  bound 
alike  by  inclination  and  by  duty  to  hold  sacred — I 
allude  to  the  Emperor." 

"To  the  Emperor,  Monsieur!"  echoed  the  lady, 
starting  from  her  seat." 

"Yes;  Madame,  to  Napoleoji  himself.  Is  it  my 
fault  that  he  admires  you !" 


THE  MARSHAL-DUKE   AND  THE  BANKER.  349 

Poor  Madame  P could  not  expostulate ;  she  had 

reasons  of  her  own  for  receiving  this  startling  assurance 
without  any  great  demonstration  of  indignant  virtue ; 
and  her  husband  had  scarcely  left  the  room  before  a 
thousand  ambitious  projects  were  whirling  through  her 
brain ;  while,  as  a  woman  who  really  loves  can  never 
keep  a  secret  from  the  object  of  her  affection,  the 
whole  matter  was  that  very  evening  confided  to  Gene- 
ral F S ;  who,  deeply  attached  to  his  Imperial 

master,  at  once  avowed  his  willingness  to  resign  his 
own  hopes  to  those  of  the  Emperor. 

A  tragical  scene  ensued ;  the  lady  wept  bitterly,  and 
the  gentleman  uttered  the  most  ardent  vows  of  un- 
alterable affection — each,  of  course,  yielded  only  to 
dire  necessity — but  yield  they  both  did ;  and  it  was 
amicably  arranged  between  them  that  they  should  get 
up  a  serious  quarrel,  which  they  were  carefully  to  make 
known  to  their  respective  friends. 

Satisfied  by  the  obedience  of  his  wife,  M.  P next 

communicated  to  her  the  gratifying  fact  that  the  Mar- 
shal-duke de  R had  received  a  confidential  mission 

to  effect  her  presentation  at  court,  the  object  of  her 
constant  longing — that  brilliant  court  of  which  she  had 
never  hitherto  obtained  a  glimpse,  save  as  she  saw  the 
glittering  procession  pass  along  the  street  on  some 
public  festival. 

Just  at  this  period  an  order  from  the  Emperor  com- 
pelled the  marshal  to  proceed  with  all  speed  to  Spain  ; 
and  although  he  regretted  the  gaieties  of  Paris,  he  was 
by  no  means  sorry  to  extricate  himself  in  so  honorable 
a  manner  from  the  probable  effects  of  his  very  hazard- 
ous hoax. 


350  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

Matters  hy  no  means  remained  stationary,  however ; 

as  M.  P ,  disconcerted  by  the  precipitate  departure 

of  his  obliging  and  zealous  friend,  and  impatient  to 
clutch  the  golden  prize  which  had  so  long  evaded  his 
grasp,  determined  to  make  a  bold  effort  to  terminate 
the  adventure  himself,  by  requesting  that  the  Grand- 
Marshal  of  the  palace  would  solicit  for  him  an  audience 
of  the  Emperor.  After  considerable  hesitation  this  was 
accorded  ;  and  the  banker  found  himself  in  the  cabinet 
of  His  Majesty. 

"  What  do  you  desire  to  ask  of  me,  Monsieur  ?"  in- 
quired I^apoleon  with  his  usual  gravity. 

"  Sire,  I  was  anxious  to  have  the  honor  to  remind 
Your  Imperial  Majesty  of  the  petition  which  the  Mar- 
shal-duke de  E had  the  goodness  to  present  to  you 

in  my  name." 

"  I  remember  ;"  said  Napoleon  curtly ;  "  you  wished 
for  an  appointment  in  my  household.  It  is  impossible  ; 
there  is  not  one  vacant." 

"  Your  Imperial  and  Royal  Majesty  led  me  to  anti- 
cipate the  high  honor  of  holding  the  office  of  Treasurer 
of  the  Crown." 

"It  is  not  vacant,  I  repeat ;  and  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  with  the  present  functionary." 

"  Ah,  Sire,  my  wife  will  be  in  despair  when  she 
learns  that  her  hopes  are  at  an  end." 

"  I  regret  to  hear  it." 

"  She  has  so  great  a  respect  for  our  illustrious  Emperor." 

"  I  am  very  grateful  for  her  good  opinion." 

"  And,  Sire,  since  it  is  my  duty  to  avow  it  to  you,  she 
is  so  devotedly  attached  to  your  person — " 

"  M.  P ;"  said  I^apoleon  sternly  ;  "  while  I  am 


THE  MARSHAL-DUKE  AND  THE  BANKER.  351 

on  the  throne  of  France,  public  appointments  and 
offices  shall  never  be  the  reward  of  what  yon  evidently 
mean  me  to  undei*8tand.  You  are  bold,  Monsieur,  and 
ill-advised  to  oifer  such  a  bribe  to  your  sovereign." 

"  And  yet,  Sire,  the  Marshal-duke  told  me — " 

"Told  you?  What  did  he  tell  you?  Speak  out, 
Monsieur,  and  that  instantly." 

The  irritated  tone  and  burning  eye  of  the  Emperor 
intimidated  the  poor  husband  ;  who,  however,  amid  all 
his  agitation,  contrived  to  stammer  forth  his  not  very 
creditable  tale. 

"  Go,  Monsieur ;  go ;"  was  the  indignant  exclama- 
tion of  Napoleon  at  its  conclusion ;  "  and  request  of  the 
Marshal  of  the  Palace  to  confer  on  you  the  office  of 
keeper  of  his  savings'-chest."  And  as  he  spoke  he 
tnrned  his  back  upon  the  disconcerted  petitioner. 

The  rage  and  astonishment  of  the  mystified  and  be- 
wildered banker  may  be  imagined,  as  he  flung  himself 
into  his  carriage  and  returned  home,  where  he  bitterly 
upbraided  his  wife ;  who  retorted  that,  thenceforward, 
he  would  have  no  right  to  complain  of  her  infidelity 
should  she  think  proper  to  accept  a  lover,  after  his 
having  voluntarily  suggested  such  a  measure  himself. 
The  argument  was  one  much  too  valid  to  be  readily 
confuted  ;  and  at  length  peace  was  proclaimed  between 
the  mortified  couple,  on  condition  that  neither  should 
again  revert  to  the  subject. 

Some  time  subsequently  the  Emperor  said  with  a 
smile  to  General  F S : 

"  1  owe  you  many  acknowledgments,  M.  le  Comte ; 
for  I  have  become  aware  that  you  who  never  retreated 
before  the  enemy,  did  not  scruple  to  do  so  before  me. 


352  EPISODES  OF  FKENCH  HISTORY. 

It  was  a  proof  of  respect  by  which  I  was  sincerely 
gratified ;  and  of  which  I  fear  that,  had  our  respective 
positions  been  reversed,  I  should  scarcely  have  been 
capable  myself." 

"  That,  Sire,  is  because  you  were  never  meant  to  be 
my  subject." 

"  You  are  right,  General,"  was  the  rejoinder  of  Na- 
poleon ;  "  it  was  predestined  from  all  eternity  that  I 
should  command;  and  that  you  should  pursue  the 
career  of  glory  in  which  you  so  bravely  maintain  your 
reputation." 

This   reply    enchanted   M.  F S ,  who  was 

aware  that  it  would  be  followed  up  by  a  more  substan- 
tial demonstration  of  the  Emperor's  satisfaction  ;  nor 
were  his  anticipations  erroneous ;  as,  some  time  subse- 
quently, an  important  office  at  court  becoming  vacant, 
the  surprise  was  universal  when,  despite  the  claims  and 
services  of  many  of  those  who  applied  for  it,  as  well  as 
the  powerful  recommendations  by  which  those  applica- 
tions were  supported,  the  appointment  was  conferred 

on  General  F S ,  who  had  no  single  claim  to 

advance,  and  no  influential  interest  to  which  to  appeal 
in  his  behalf;  but  as  he  had  wit  enough  never  to  reveal 

the  adventure  of  Madame  P ,  he  enjoyed  his  new 

honors,  careless  of  the  jealous  comments  of  his  less  for- 
tunate competitors ;  and  perfectly  ready  to  perform  a 
similar  act  of  self-abnegation  whenever  the  Imperial 
caprice  should  furnish  him  with  an  opportunity  ;  for  it 
is  needless  to  say  that  Kapoleon  did  not  consider  it  ne- 
cessary to  inform  him  that  in  the  retreat  to  which  he 
had  alluded,  he  had  served  him  only  in  intention,  and 
not  in  fact. 


A  PARISIAN  SALOON   UNDER  THE   EMPIRE.       858 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

A   PARISIAN   SALOON    UNDER   THE    EMPIRE. 

Nothing  could  be  more  incongruous  than  the  society 
of  Paris  under  the  empire ;  for  while  a  few  ladies, 
such  as  the  Princess  de  Vaudemont,  and  the  Marquise 
de  Montesson.  Madame  de  Genlis,  and  Madame  du 
DefFant  (the  illustrious  but  impoverished  friend  of  the 
President  Henault  and  Horace  Walpole),  the  Duchesses 
de  Luynes,  de  Montmorency,  de  Brissac,  &c.,  &c.,  re- 
ceived in  their  saloons  all  the  national  and  foreign  cele- 
brities who  chanced  to  be  domiciliated  in  the  capital, 
there  were  other  women  of  high  rank  who  were  much 
less  scrupulous  as  regarded  the  characters  and  antece- 
dents of  their  admitted  guests.  Among  these  the  most 
prominent  was  the  Comtesse  de  Livry,  who,  in  point  of 
fact,  was  a  salaried  agent  of  one  of  the  public  hells. 
In  her  splendidly-decorated  rooms,  scores  of  wretched 
dupes  were  taught  to  curse  the  hour  when  they  had 
first,  inexperienced  young  men,  misled  by  the  empty 
sound  of  a  noble  name,  believed  themselves  welcomed 
to  the  best  society,  and  had  allowed  their  vanity  to 
prove  too  strong  for  their  reason. 

Eager  to  emulate  the  ostentatious  recklessness  of 
wealthier  votaries  at  this  shrine  of  vice  than  themselves, 
they  flung  upon  that  fatal  green  cloth  almost  the  whole 
of  their  fortunes,  in  order  to  dazzle  for  a  few  brief 


354  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

moments  the  eyes  of  some  beautiful  but  frail  woman, 
who  was  unworthy  of  the  sacrifice ;  and  the  result  was 
their  own  ruin.  Nor  was  their  danger  lessened  by  the 
fact,  that  among  the  habitues  of  Madame  de  Livry  were 
many  men  of  birth  and  station,  who  went  to  her  house 
with  much  the  same  feeling  that  they  would  have  gone 
behind  the  scenes  of  an  opera,  or  into  a  school  of  anatomy. 
To  these  the  passions  of  the  young  and  the  unwary 
were  merely  a  study — it  was  a  singular  page  of  human 
nature  which  it  amused  them  to  read — and,  meanwhile, 
the  very  fact  of  their  presence  in  such  a  scene,  and  the 
sanction  which  it  afforded  to  other  individuals  of  less 
pretension,  while  it  added  to  the  gains  of  the  high- 
priestess  of  the  temple,  rendered  the  altar  itself  more 
and  more  perilous  to  its  worshippers. 

We  will  not  enter  more  deeply  into  its  mysteries ;  let 
it  suffice  that  the  police  were  bribed  to  abstain  from  all 
interference  ;  and  that  excesses  which  would  have  been 
punished  by  imprisonment,  and  even  in  some  cases  by 
the  galleys,  in  less  aristocratic  establishments,  were 
suffered  to  pass  without  comment.  As  masked  enter- 
tainments were  occasionally  given,  an  Imperial  cham- 
berlain was  sometimes  elbowed  by  a  valet  dressed  in 
the  clothes  of  his  master,  while  on  all  sides  were  to  be 
seen  women  in  gorgeous  attire,  whose  very  names  had 
never  been  whispered  in  respectable  circles. 

On  one  occasion,  a  man  of  rank,  weary  of  the  mono- 
tony of  the  great  world,  determined  to  gratify  his  curi- 
osity by  attending  one  of  these  masquerades,  and  he 
accordingly  proceeded  to  the  hotel  of  Madame  de 
Livry,  where  he  amused  himself  by  lounging  through 
the  rooms  and  loitering  at  the  several  gaming-tables. 


A   PARISIAN  SALOON   UNDER  THE  EMPIRE.        865 

He  was  thus  engaged  when  ho  was  accosted  by  a  young 
and  elegant- looking  female,  closely  masked,  and  magni- 
ficently attired ;  who,  after  having  remained  in  conver- 
sation with  him  for  a  short  time,  turned  in  another 
direction,  and  disappeared  in  the  crowd.  It  chanced 
that  the  nobleman  in  question  possessed  a  honhoniere  of 
rock-crystal  which  he  very  highly  valued,  not  on  ac- 
count of  its  intrinsic  worth,  which  did  not  exceed  four- 
teen or  fifteen  louis,  but  because  the  lid  was  formed  of 
a  medallion  containing  a  cypher  made  of  the  hair  of 
his  father,  who  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  Eevolution. 

Having  occasion  to  make  use  of  the  box  a  few  mi- 
nutes afterwards,  he  discovered  to  his  extreme  annoy- 
ance that  it  also  had  disappeared ;  and,  feeling  con- 
vinced that  it  had  passed  out  of  his  own  possession  into 
that  of  his  late  companion,  he  began  to  look  anxiously 
about  him  to  obtain  a  glimpse  of  her.  The  attempt, 
however,  proved  vain ;  and  satisfied  that  she  had  either 
left  the  house  or  covered  herself  with  a  domino,  he  was 
compelled  to  abandon  all  hope  of  recovering  so  valua- 
ble a  family  relic. 

While  grieving  over  his  loss,  his  eye  suddenly  fell 
upon  Madame  de  Livry,  who  was  talking  earnestly  to 
a  man  who  wore  not  only  a  mask,  but  a  most  extraordi- 
nary costume;  and  careless  of  intruding  upon  their 
conversation  under  the  circumstances,  he  at  once  joined 
her,  and  related  what  had  just  happened  to  him,  adding 
that  the  loss  of  the  trinket  would  not  have  troubled 
him  for  a  moment,  had  it  not  been  for  the  regret  that 
he  felt  at  the  loss  of  his  unfortunate  father's  hair.  He 
moreover  assured  her  of  his  conviction  that  the  box 
would  not  fetch  more  than  thirty  francs  in  the  event  of 


356  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

its  being  disposed  of  to  a  stranger,  while  he  was  ready 
to  give  a  hundred  to  any  one  who  would  restore  it  to 
himself;  as,  in  addition  to  the  peculiar  value  which  he 
individually  attached  to  it,  the  box  had  been  given  to 
one  of  his  ancestors  by  the  great  Conde. 

Madame  de  Livry,  indignant  at  the  inference  con- 
tained in  this  insinuation,  haughtily  replied  that  per- 
sons frequently  complained  of  being  robbed,  when,  in 
point  of  fact,  they  had  lost  the  missing  article  through 
their  own  carelessness ;  and  concluded  by  declaring 
that  in  all  probability  he  had  let  the  toy  fall,  and  would, 
at  the  close  of  the  night,  find  it  trampled  to  pieces  on 
the  floor. 

Considering    all   further    expostulation   useless,   M. 

de returned  to  his  hotel,  angry  with  himself,  and 

cursing  the  whim  which  had  induced  him  to  enter  such 
a  den  of  thieves.  Finding  it  impossible  to  sleep,  the 
daylight  had  no  sooner  penetrated  into  his  chamber 
than  he  rose  from  his  bed,  and  had  just  sat  down  to  his 
desk  to  write  an  advertisement  for  the  papers,  when  one 
of  his  valets  entered  to  announce  that  M.  Fossard  de- 
sired to  see  him. 

"  Fossard  ?"  he  echoed ;  "  Fossard  ?  Who  is  M.  Fos- 
sard ?  I  do  not  know  him.  Say  that  I  have  not  yet 
returned  home." 

The  denial  was  useless ;  the  visitor  was  aware  that 
M.  le  Marquis  had  entered  his  hotel  an  hour  after  mid- 
night, and  his  business  was  urgent. 

After  some  demur  the  unknown  visitor  was  admitted, 
and  proved  to  be  a  man  of  about  fifty,  stoutly  built,  and 
with  a  countenance  strongly  expressive  of  self-posses- 
sion and  courage.     His  eye  was  bright,  restless,  and 


A  PARISIAN  SALOON   UNDER  THE   EMPIRE.       357 

searching ;  and  the  curl  of  his  lip  at  once  sarcastic  and 
sardonic ;  but  his  greatest  peculiarity  was  his  hands, 
which,  as  he  withdrew  his  gloves  on  entering,  instantly 
attracted  the  attention  of  his  host ;  they  were  small, 
with  fingers  long  and  slight  as  those  of  a  woman,  but 
nevertheless  dry  and  muscular,  betraying  great  strength. 
Altogether  there  was  some  thing  about  him  that  riveted 
the  attention  of  the  marquis,  although  he  could  only 
suppose  that  ho  came  to  solicit  assistance,  eitlier  for 
himself  or  for  some  public  charity.  But  the  longer 
he  looked  at  him  the  more  he  was  impressed  by  the 
idea  that  the  intruder  was  no  common  supplicant ;  there 
was  nothing,  as  he  at  once  saw,  either  threatening  or 
ferocious  about  him,  although  there  was  much  both  ex- 
traordinary and  repelling. 

He  was  dressed  not  only  with  care,  but  even  with  a 
certain  elegance,  and  carried  a  sword-stick  with  a  mas- 
sive gold  head.  As  a  servant  placed  a  chair,  he 
thanked  him  courteously,  but  did  not  attempt  to  seat 
himself;  and  when  the  door  closed  the  marquis  and  his 
visitor  were  standing  opposite  to  each  other  with  the 
breakfast-table  between  them. 

The  stranger  no  sooner  found  himself  alone  with  M. 

de than  he  placed  his  hat  upon  the  offered  chair, 

and  quietly  withdrawing  a  brace  of  pistols  from  his 
bosom,  laid  them  beside  it. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this?"  inquired  the 
marquis. 

"  Nothing  whatever.  Monsieur — nothing  whatever  " 
— was  the  calm  reply. 

"  "Who  are  you  ?"  was  the  next  inquiry. 

"  M.  le  Marquis ;"  answered  the  intruder,  with  one 


358  EPISODES  OF  FRENCH  HISTORY. 

of  his  equivocal  smiles;  "I  thought  I  had  desired 
that  I  should  be  properly  announced  to  you.  I  am 
Fossard." 

'*  You  must  excuse  me  ;"  said  the  mystified  noble  ; 
"  but  that  name  is  quite  unknown  to  me." 

"  It  is,  however,  tolerably  familiar  to  most  persons  ;" 
retorted  his  companion  ;  "  you  may  perhaps  remember 
the  famous  robbery  of  the  Imperial  wardrobe — I  was 
the  perpetrator  of  it." 

"  What !"  exclaimed  the  marquis  ;  "  do  you  come 
to  denounce  yourself  as  a  thief  ?" 

"  Call  me  what  you  will,  I  am  Fossard ;  and  you 
must  consequently  excuse  the  precautions  that  I  have 
taken." 

"  But  what  do  you  want  with  me  ?"  impatiently  de- 
manded his  interlocutor ;  "  for  I  solemnly  assure  you 
that  I  will  neither  suffer  myself  to  be  robbed  nor  mur- 
dered." 

"  I  beg  you  to  believe,  M.  le  Marquis,  that  I  came 
here  with  no  intention  of  the  sort;"  he  replied  with 
the  utmost  composure ;  "  I  never  annoy  in  any  way 
those  with  whom  I  have  the  honor  to  associate  ;  and 
yesterday,  as  you  may  perhaps  remember,  we  passed  a 
very  agreeable  evening  together." 

"  We  passed  an  evening  together !"  exclaimed  his 
astonished  visitor. 

"  Even  so.  Monsieur,  at  the  house  of  our  mutual 
friend  Madame  de  Livry." 

'^  Ah,  indeed  !  Is  the  countess  a  friend  of  yours  ? 
And  does  she  know  you  as  you  have  yourself  just 
enabled  rae  to  do  ?"  asked  the  marquis,  unable  to 
restrain  a  smile. 


A   PARISIAN  SALOON   UNDER  THE   EMPIRE.        859 

"  Not  exactly ;"  was  the  laughing  rejoinder  ;  "  for  I 
not  only  change  my  costume,  but  even  my  face,  when 
it  is  convenient  to  me  to  do  so.  Last  night,  when  you 
informed  her  of  your  loss,  I  was  tlie  domino  who  was 
conversing  with  her.  I  attended  her  entertainment  in 
order  to  overlook  my  agents;  I  really  regretted  the 
annoyance  to  which  you  had  been  subjected;  and  I 
overheard  your  generous  promise  to  give  a  hundred 
francs  to  the  person  who  should  restore  to  you  the 
missing  box — Here  it  is !" 

As  he  spoke,  he  held  it  towards  his  host,  who  imme- 
diately took  out  his  purse,  and  oftered  to  him  the  stipu- 
lated sum. 

The  effect  of  the  man's  reckless  daring  was  so  extra- 
ordinary, that,  strange  to  say,  it  possessed  a  fascination 
which  rendered  the  marquis  by  no  means  inclined  to 
hasten  his  departure ;  but  that  which  ensued  caused 
him  still  greater  astonishment.  When  the  five  Kapo- 
leons  were  put  into  his  hand,  he  drew  a  very  well-filled 
purse  from  his  pocket,  into  which  he  dropped  three 
only,  and  then  laying  the  two  others  on  the  table,  and 
placing  ten  francs  beside  them,  he  said,  in  a  business- 
like tone : — 

"  M.  le  Marquis,  under  the  peculiar  circumstances 
of  the  case,  I  decline  to  accept  anything  for  myself; 
but  I  am  compelled  to  retain  fifty  francs,  as  I  must 
throw  thirty  into  the  common  stock ;  and  Clara  has  a 
right  to  demand  the  twenty  which  remain." 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  the  Marquis,  "I  now  begin  to 
understand  the  whole  transaction.  Clara!  Was  she 
not  the  pretty  columbine  of  last  night,  whose  fingers 
were  as  nimble  as  her  eyes  were  bright  ? " 


360  EPISODES  OF   FRENCH  HISTORY. 

^'  Precisely,  M.  le  Marquis ;  and  a  marvellous  crea- 
ture she  is ! "  replied  his  visitor  enthusiastically ; 
"  young,  pretty,  clever,  and  as  cunning  as  a  monkey, 
or  a  prime-minister." 

"  M.  Fossard ; "  said  the  marquis ;  "  be  you  who  you 
may,  I  sincerely  thank  you  for  having  restored  to  me 
a  trinket  to  which  I  am  greatly  attached ;  but  I  must 
insist  that  you  allow  me  to  force  upon  you  the  promised 
reward.  The  money  is  yours,  and  I  request  that  you 
will  receive  it." 

**I  am  distressed  to  disobey  your  lordship ;"  smiled 
the  eccentric  robber ;  "  but  such  an  imposition  would 
be  unworthy  of  me  after  I  have  had  the  honor  of  pass- 
ing an  evening  in  your  society." 

"I  must  insist,  Monsieur,  that  you  accept  what  I 
have  offered ; "  said  the  marquis  haughtily. 

"So  be  it  then ; "  was  the  reply ;  and  taking  the 
fifty  francs  into  his  hand,  the  visitor  replaced  the  pis- 
tols in  the  crown  of  his  hat,  and  prepared  to  retire ; 
but,  before  he  left  the  room,  he  laid  the  money  down 
on  a  console  near  the  door,  and  said  respectfully : — 

"Monsieur,  I  must  entreat  you  to  do  me  a  favor, 
and  to  distribute  this  small  sum  to  the  poor.  I  shall 
esteem  it  an  obligation  for  which  I  will  at  once  con- 
vince you  of  my  gratitude.  Know,  then,  that  your 
house-porter  is  in  my  pay,  and  that  he  is  at  the  same 
time  attached  to  the  police.  Do  not  let  him  guess  that 
you  are  aware  of  this  ;  it  could  answer  no  good  pui-pose, 
as  he  will  this  very  day  receive  from  me  an  order  to 
quit  your  service." 

Perfectly  bewildered,  the  marquis  accompanied 
his  equivocal  guest  as  far  as  the  antechamber ;    and 


A   PARISIAN  SALOON   UNDER  THE   EMPIRE.        361 

the  door  of  communication  was  no  sooner  opened  than 
the  latter  exclaimed,  in  an  accent  of  light-hearted 
familiarity,  in  the  hearing  of  the  attendants  : — 

"Good  moniing,  M.  le  Marquis;  make  my  compli- 
ments, if  you  please,  to  Madame  de  Livry,  should  you 
see  her  before  I  do  so." 

Two  houi-8  after  the  departure  of  Fossard,  the  house- 
porter  requested  an  interview  with  his  master,  in  order 
to  inform  him  that  he  had  just  received  intelligence  of 
the  dangerous  illness  of  his  fatlier,  who  was  anxious  to 
see  him  before  he  died ;  and  after  expressing  his  sor- 
row at  the  necessity  which  compelled  him  to  resign  so 
excellent  a  situation,  he  proceeded  to  recommend  to 
the  favor  of  the  marquis  a  particular  friend  of  his  own, 
who  was  anxious  to  become  his  successor. 

As  a  matter  of  couree  the  offer  was  declined. 


"  "Well,  Monsieur  le  Marquis ; "  whispered  the  Com- 
tesse  de  Livry  from  an  adjoining  box,  as  the  individual 
she  addressed  was  in  the  act  of  offering  a  lozenge  to 
an  asthmatic  duchess  at  the  Theatre  rran9ais  from  the 
rescued  honboniei^e ;  "  did  I  not  tell  you  that  your 
pretty  toy  had  only  fallen  ? " 

"  You  did,  Madame,  and  you  were  right ; "  was  the 
ready  reply  ;  "  it  had  fallen  into  bad  hands." 


^» 


THE   END. 


'^^r 


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